‘Sattarikar’ Prakash Parienkar bags Sahitya Akademi Award

Dr Prakash Parienkar, Goa’s versatile writer, bagged this year’s central Sahitya Akademi Award for his story collection ‘Varsal’ in Konkani.

Madhav Kaushik, President of the Sahitya Akademi, announced this along with the books in other 23 Indian languages,  at a press conference held in New Delhi this afternoon.

Dr Fr Melwyn Pinto, Neelba Khandekar and Vincy Quadros were the jury members for the Konkani language.

The award would be presented on 12 March in the national capital, on the occasion of the 70th Foundation Day of the premiere literary institution in the country. 

‘Varsal’, the collection of stories in Konkani, was published by Jaag Prakashan in 2021. 

The book has also been translated into Kannada by Dr Geeta Shenoi as “Varsal Mattu Ithara Latkagalu” and its title story ‘Varsal’ was translated into English by Vidya Pai and published in Govapuri in 2000.

 

NATIONAL HONOURS

Dr Parienkar also bagged the Sahitya Akademi Award for Children’s  Literature in 2010 for the children’s play ‘Igadi Bigadi Tigadi Tha’  (इगडी बिगडी तिगडी था).

He bagged his first national award of Katha from New Delhi in 2003, at the age of 35, for his Konkani story ‘Chandrakor’ (चंद्रकोर). 

The 55-year-old writer has eight books to his credit to date, besides six translated works. 

His short stories have also been translated into Hindi, Marathi, Kannada, Malayalam, Telugu, Odia, Gujarati, Kashmiri, Urdu, English and Portuguese.

He has also written screenplays for films and short films and full-length films have been produced based on his short stories. Many of them have been screened at the international film festivals across the Globe. 

Kaajro, a short film based on his Konkani short story, bagged the prestigious 67th National Film Award as the Best Regional Film. 

Besides bagging several literary awards at the state level for his books, Dr Parinekar has also won state-level awards for screenplays of short films. 

The Vice Dean (Research) in the discipline of Konkani at the Goa University has also to his credit a thorough research work on the Mhadei river of Goa, titled Mhadei: Kallzantyal Kagdar… (म्हादयः काळजांतल्यान कागदार…). The book has also bagged a couple of awards. 

Besides writing and teaching, Dr Parienkar is also actively involved in ground-level work in his Sattari taluka, including literature, education and safaris in the forests of Mhadei sanctuary. 

He was the first President of the Gramin Sahitya Sammelan held in Karanzol village of Sattari taluka in 2018. 

Besides working on a new novel on the age-old tradition of Kumeri cultivation, he is presently also involved in reviving Puran (पुरण), the dying tradition of a unique method of cultivation in Sattari taluka. 

Following are the details in brief of his literary contribution:

BOOKS

1. 1999: Karbari  Konkani  (कारबारी कोंकणी), (co-writer)
2. 2005: Davarnem (दवरणें ) (Essays).
3. 2006: Igadi  Bigadi  Tigadi  Tha (इगडी बिगडी तिगडी था) (Children’s play).
4. 2010: Kolyachi Nadepenna (कोल्याचीं नाडेपेन्नां) (Verse Tale).
5. 2011: Mhadei: Kallzantlyan  Kagdar… (म्हादयः काळजांतल्यान कागदार…) (An eco-anthropological Study of Mhadei river basin).
6. 2013: Amche Aami  (आमचे आमी) (Collection of Poetry).
7. 2021: Varsal (वर्सल) (Short Stories Collections).
8. 2022: Puran (पुरण) (Novel).

 AWARDS

1. 2003: Katha, a National award for a  Konkani short story entitled Chandrakor, (चंद्रकोर) 
2. 2006: Konkani Bhasha Mandal’s Literary Award- 2006 for the collection of essays Davarnem.
3. 2007: Pandit Pratap Narayan Mishra Smurti Yuva Sahityakar Sanman awarded by Bhaurao Devras Seva Nyas, Lucknow, given to the non-Hindi speaking young writer for his contribution to the regional language. 
4. 2007: Padmashree B. B. Borkar Memorial Literary award of The Goa Hindu Association, Mumbai for the collection of essays Davarnem..  
5. 2008: Sarvotkrust Sahitya Puraskar by Goa Konkani Academy for the collection of essays Davarnem. 
6. 2008: Dr. TMA Pai Foundation Manipal’s Appreciation Literary Award for Davarnem.
7. 2009: Late Meghasham Nayak Memorial Yuva Sahitya Puraskar by 11th Yuva Konkani Sahitya  Sammelan. 
8. 2010: Sahitya Akademi  award for Children’s  Literature for Igadi Bigadi Tigadi Tha  (इगडी बिगडी तिगडी था)  
9. 2010: Yuva Srujan Puraskar for the valuable contribution in the field of Konkani literature, awarded by the Directorate of Art & Culture, Government of Goa.   
10. 2011: Sattari Asmitai Puraskar for the contribution to the field of Literature, Education and Environment, awarded by Gramin Vikas Sankrutik Sanstha, Valpoi, Sattari. 
11. 2011: Late  Gundu Sitaram Amonkar Excellence Award for the book  MHADEI:  KALLZANTLYAN  KAGDAR… (म्हादयः काळजांतल्यान कागदार…) 
12. 2012: Janaganga literary award for MHADEI: KALLZANTLYAN  KAGDAR… (म्हादयः काळजांतल्यान कागदार…) 
13. 2013: Sarvotkrust Sahitya Puraskar (in Research category) for MHADEI: KALLZANTLYAN  KAGDAR… (म्हादयः काळजांतल्यान कागदार…)
14. 2015: Dr. Jose Pareira memorial award for MHADEI: KALLZANTLYAN  KAGDAR… (म्हादयः काळजांतल्यान कागदार…)

FILMS

1. Wrote screenplay for a  Konkani short film ‘Ek Thembo Ashecho’  (एक थेंबो आशेचो), bagged second place in  All  Goa short film competition,   organized by  Film Bimb, Panaji Goa. 
2. Hindi Film ‘The Motherhood & Ek Pal’ based on the Konkani short story Monel Maya  (मोनेळ माया) was selected for the  Shooting & Screening for the 38th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) in 2007.
3. Won second prize in the screenplay writing competition titled ‘Soim Sobit Neha’ (सैम सोबीत नेहा) at the competition organized by the Entertainment  Society of  Goa.
4. ‘A Cross Across’ is a  Konkani Film based on the short story  ‘Gallyantlo Khuris’ (गळ्यांतलो खुरीस).
5. Full-length Marathi film produced by Shree  Gowardhan Entertainment, Pune, based on a Konkani short story ‘Monel Maya’ (मोनेळ माया).
6. ‘Kaajro’ (काजरो) is a Konkan film based on a short story screened in the category of Indian Story at MAMI, 21st Mumbai  Film Festival, Mumbai in 2019. Also screened at IFFI in 2019, the Aurangabad International Film Festival of India in 2020, the Bengaluru International Film Festival in 2020  and
7. Aarya – Daughter of Bharat,  a Marathi feature film based on the short story, was selected for the Norway International Hollywood Film Festival and the Singapore  International Film Festival. 

TRANSLATIONS       

1. Translated Marathi drama into Konkani Language, title Dekhanni Baiko Dusryachi  (देखणी बायको दुसऱ्याची)  written by Ashok Patole. 
2. Translated Marathi drama into Konkani Language, title  Dehbhan (देहभान) written by Abhiram Bhatkamkar.
3. Translated Hindi short story of Kamleshwar Prasad Saxena into Konkani and published in Jaag monthly. 
4. Translated NBT English Children’s book into Konkani titles A Friend Together  (घट्ट इश्टागत) written by Aindrila Mitra, 2023.  
5. Translated NBT Hindi Children’s book into Konkani titles क्यो?  (कित्याक?) written by Meenakshi Swami, 2023.  
6. Translated NBT Hindi Children’s book into Konkani, titled Bhaji Bajar (भाजी बाजार) written by Sarvendra Vikram, 2023.