Mangalore, June 14: In a glittering ceremony Konkani Museum, the mega project of Mandd Sobhann was launched by NRI entrepreneur and philanthropist Ronald Colaco at Ocean Pearl Hotel on June 15,Saturday.
The logo of the Museum project was launched by Ronald Colaco, while James Mendonca, another NRI entrepreneur and President of Mangalore Konkans, Dubai, released the brochure.
Forest, environment and ecology minister Ramanath Rai, MLA J R Lobo, Stany Alvares, Mandd Sobhan president, gurkar Eric Ozario shared the dais.
Addressing the gathering Colaco said in his speech that any work undertaken by Mandd Sobhann will be always successful and has taken Konkani language to the sky high level and has the capability to produce many more wonders starting everything from scratch.
“The Konkani Museum project is a very good and bold step taken by Mandd Sobhann and complimented Konkan activist and Mandd Sobhann Gurikar Eric Ozario and his team for their selfless work and through this work great personalities from former president to Bollywood stars have made their way to Kalaangann.
Lauding Konkani activist and Mandd Sobhann Gurikar Eric Ozario and his team, Colaco said because of their selfless work, great personalities from former president of India to Bollywood stars have made their way to Kalaangann.
Colaco, further said that he has been associated with Mandd Sobhann since 1991 and they are rendering major contribution towards Konkani community and he has gifted Rs 80 lacs for 25 cents of land for the museum and asked rest of the people to lend their support with open heart in a big way for this noble cause.
James Mendonca, another NRI entrepreneur and president of Mangalore konkans Dubai while lauding mandd Sobhann for all it’s good and productive works done said that it has made not only Konkans but people from other sections of society proud.
Further he said this museum will act as a source of information and Konkani people should shower their blessings and lend their support to this mega project and he is confident of success of this museum and this museum is one of the biggest gifts from Mandd Sobhann,Mendonca added.
MLA JR Lobo said in his speech that collecting money and getting items for museum is tough task.All aspects of Konkani should be covered in the museum and we must get the feeling of being transported to another era while entering the museum and this project will definitely boost tourism in the region,he added. Collection of ancient artifacts is another issue surfacing and once it is done, a major part of the museum is done, he said.
Ramanatha Rai said in his address that Project Konkan Museum undertaken by Mandd Sobhann is one of the good and important projects and assured that state government will always ready to help such constructive projects.
Ozario,in his welcome speech thanked Ronald Colaco,James Mendonca and others for their financial support to the project and said that Mandd Sobhann has always been strived hard to protect Konkani,promote it and pass it on to the next generation. Konkani museum is one of the world class projects undertaken by Mandd Sobhann has planned at an estimated of Rs 30 crores and will have all the aspects of Konkani like its history,migratory route of Konkani people,milstones,contributions,festivals,celebrations,art,food,instruments,utensils etc.
He also further said the main task before them is to buy one acre of land next to Kalaangan withih next five months and cost of which will be Rs 3.5 crore and another Rs 25 lac is required for registration purpose and altogether the cost will be nearly Rs 4 crore and planned to solicit from general public,Unesco and government.The erstwhile BJP government had assured 2 crore for the project and Mandd Sobhann urged the present government to raise this amount to 5 crore. Once these formalities are done, with the help of Unesco and others, research and documentation work relating to Konkani people across the country will be done at a cost of Rs 2 crore.”
Mandd Sohbannis expected to complete the work and inaugurate the museum by November 30,2016,the year Mandd Sobhann completes 30 years’Ozario said.
He also informed that one acre land of Makale farm is being provided by the Basti family and Louis Pinto and Eric Correa have agreed to bear the registration cost and thus 55%of the land cost has been collected,he said.
Ashok Mendonca, architect of of the project who also designed Kalaangann, said that the project will have two parts – an open space where exhibitions will be held, and a five floor building where the ground floor will consist of offices and conference rooms, and in each of the other floors there will be six galleries. The parking lot will have a capacity for 109 cars, he said.
Stany Alvares welcomed the gathering while Irene Rebello, secretary of Mandd Sobhann thanked. Arun Raj Rodrigues compered.
Louis J Pinto, Fr William Menezes, Fr Boniventure Nazareth, Naveen Lobo, Basti Vaman Shenoy, Raghunath Shet, Roy Castelino, Eric Correa and others were present.
Photo source: Sathish Kapikad
