Basti Vaman Shenoy Is An Inspiration To Many: Here is All You Need to Know About The ‘Vishwa Konkani Sardar’

Eminent Konkani activist Basti Vaman Madhav Shenoy popularly known as Vishwa Konkani Sardar passed away on 2nd January, 2022 at 12.15 pm at Father Muller Hospital, Thumbay due to age-related illness. Family sources informed that his health had been deteriorating in the last few weeks and he had been hospitalized for the last two days. He is survived by two sons, Madhav and Dinesh, and a daughter Vidya Kini. His wife Savithri had passed away a few years back. He was earlier an employee of Syndicate Bank and had been residing at Thumbay after his retirement from thirty years of banking service.

Basti Vaman Madhav Shenoy is the founder of World Konkani Centre, Shaktinagar and was a recipient of the Karnataka Rajyotsava Award in 2010. He was involved with the Konkani Bhasha Mandal since 1980. He was made the organising secretary of the Konkani Jatha movement for organising people to demand establishment of Konkani Academy. In 1993, he became the president of Konkani Bhasha Mandal Karnataka. Because of his efforts in 1994-95, the Karnataka Konkani Sahitya Academy came into existence. He was the Co-Chairman Emeritus of Konkani Bhas Ani Sanskriti Prathistan, the parent body of World Konkani Centre. Earlier he had served as the President of Konkani Bhas Ani Sanskriti Prathistan since its inception in 1996 till 2021. In 1996, First North American Konkani Convention was held at New Jersey, USA. In 1997 Shenoy became the president of Karnataka Konkani Sahitya Academy and served for two terms till 2001. He initiated efforts to introduce Konkani in the Schools of Karnataka as the optional third Language. He was devoted completely to Konkani cultural activities and had also strived for the recognition of Konkani Language and inclusion in 8th Schedule of the Constitution of India. In 2002, he organised the 20th Adhiveshan of All India Konkani Parishad in Mangalore. In 2004, he became the president of All India Konkani Parishad. In 2008, under the banner of KLCF, Shenoy initiated Vishwa Konkani Abhiyan aimed at creating opportunity of interaction between Konkani Writers and Scholars with their counterparts in other languages of the country. Scholars from Panjabi, Hindi, Persian, Urdu, Kannada and Konkani Languages participated in the seminar ‘Integration Through Languages’.