Leo Rodrigues Family Kittall Youth Award to Kiran Nirkan
Mangaluru: Promising youth writer Kiran Nirkan (Floyd Kiran Moras) chosen for Leo Rodrigues Family Kittall Youth Award 2024. He has been contributing to Konkani literature in the form of poetry, essays, and children’s literature. Recently, Kavita Publications, the publication wing of Kavita Trust, has published Nakthiram, a collection of poems exclusively written for young children.
A graduate in business administration with a strong passion for Konkani language and literature, he perused a postgraduate Konkani diploma from the Institute of Konkani, St Aloysius (deemed to be a university) and scored third rank by presenting a research essay on the subject “depiction of nature in Vally Vogga’s short stories.”
With flair towards journalism, he served as editor of Nirkanchem Keern and on the editorial board of Amcho Yuvak, a diocesan monthly for the youth. He is a regular columnist on ARSO Konkani monthly. Being an active member of the Karnataka Non-Resident Indians Association, UAE, he submits reports on literary and cultural events held in and around the UAE to the media houses of Karnataka.
As an organiser he was instrumental in organising two editions of the unique musical Geet Gozal in Dubai with celebrated lyricists Wilson Kateel and Melvyn Rodrigues. He hosted multilingual poetry sessions in the UAE. As an ardent supporter of blood donation in the UAE, he campaigns for the cause of donating blood and saving lives and has so far donated blood 38 times.
With a sole motto of encouraging the youth writers of Konkani, Abu Dhabi-based NRI Entrepreneur, staunch Konkani supporter, and philanthropist Sri Leo Rodrigues has sponsored the Kittall Youth Award for the last 12 years. The award carries a purse of Rs. 25,000/- and citation.
Kittall is the premier Konkani literature web portal published nonstop since 2011 by Konkani poet, storyteller, and critic, and presently the member of the Konkani Advisory Board, Sahitya Akademi, New Delhi, H M Pernal. JoCy Siddakatte, Wilma Bantwal, Stany Bela, Melwyn Kolalgiri, Wilson Kateel, Roshu Bajpe, and Clive D Souza are prominent youth writers bestowed with the Leo Rodrigues Family Kittall Youth Award in the past.
The Award to Kiran Nirkan will be presented on Saturday, October 5, 2024, at P F X Saldanha Auditorium, MCC Bank Admin Office at Hampankatta, at 7.00 p.m. Member of Legislative Council Sri Ivan D Souza will be the chief guest, and Sri Anil Lobo, Chairman of MCC Bank, will be the guest of honour at the award presentation ceremony.
