Editorial | WAR - 'Profit & Loss'
War
is not new; history books are filled with
accounts of countless conflicts. Since the dawn
of humanity, war has existed alongside it. Over
time, we have moved through different eras—the
radio era, the
television era, the digital
era, and the age of social
media. Today, however, we find
ourselves in what can be called the era
of propaganda. Falsehoods are
increasingly disguised as truth, while the paths
to discovering genuine truth grow ever narrower.
Has any war truly benefited humanity? Time and
again, it is humanity itself that suffers the
most. The poor—and especially children—bear the
greatest burden of these conflicts. A rational
editorial by
Valley Quadros.
Poetry | Hiroshima Child by Nazim Hikmet
War
does not merely result in deaths on the
battlefield; it generates layers of suffering
that extend far beyond it. The grief of
survivors, the loss of the innocent, and the
silent deaths of the poor and children—caught in
conflicts they neither initiated nor
understood—often remain underrepresented. This
raises an important question: who documents
these invisible tragedies? Who gives voice to
those rendered voiceless? In world literature, a
number of poets have undertaken this role.
Wilfred Owen (World War I), Mahmoud
Darwish, Carol Ann Duffy, and
Nazim Hikmet (World War II), among
others, have articulated the human cost of war,
foregrounding themes of loss, innocence, and
displacement. Such poetry endures across time,
functioning as both testimony and memory,
demonstrating how literature preserves human
experience beyond historical events.
Poetry | Prime Time by Andrew L Dcunha
War,
riots, and all forms of violence are
fundamentally incompatible with the ideals of a
civil society, irrespective of the
justifications offered for them. While many
remain fortunate not to have directly
experienced war, others have endured its
devastating realities, as seen during the Gulf
War in Kuwait. However, such lived experiences
find limited expression in Konkani literature.
Among the few writers who engage with these
themes, Andrew L D'Cunha
occupies a significant place. His poetry and
short fiction sensitively document the suffering
and deaths of innocent individuals—through
characters like Munni and
Ameena in the context of the
Iraq-Kuwait conflict, the deeply reflective
Pennu Beka Pennu during the
COVID-19 pandemic, and the socially aware
Prime Time. His work
demonstrates a profound engagement with human
vulnerability, and this poem once again
exemplifies his ability to portray such
sensitivity with depth and nuance.
News | DKA's new president Fr.Myron Baretto
Rev.
Fr. Myron Jeson Barreto is
elected President of Dalgado Konknni
Akademi (2026-2029). Elected working
Committee Members: Sonia Gomes, Vassalo
Carvalho, Anthony Fernandes alias Anthony San,
Agnelo Luzerio Fernandes alias Agnelo Borim,
Wilfred Eusebio Goes alias Willy Goes, Fr. Luis
Xavier Gomes.
News | National Seminar on 'Konkani Stories'
Ashawadi
Prakashan in collaboration with
Fr. Agnel’s College, Pilar organised a
National Level Seminar on Konkani Short
Stories. Dr. Chandralekha
D’Souza chaired the paper presentation
session. Vincy Quadros, Shailendra Mehta
and Valley Quadros
presented papers on Konkani short stories in the
Romi, Nagari and Kannada scripts respectively.
Administrator Fr. Antony D’Silva, Fr.
Frederick Rodrigues, Reshma Kaur Bamra, Valley
Quadros and Rajashree Sail
were present on the dais. The programme was
compered by Usha K Zaraunkar,
and the vote of thanks was proposed by
Queeva Fernandes.
News | National Seminar on 'Konkani Tiatr', Sod-Pormoll Journal
The
Dalgado Konkani Akademi
(DKA), in collaboration with
St. Xavier's College, Mapusa,
organised a National Seminar on “Konkani
Tiatr” in Goa. DKA’s first literary
journal in Romi script, Sod-Pormoll,
was released by Valley Quadros. Paper
presentations on three selected tiatrs written
by Thomazine Cardoza were the highlight
of the seminar. The session on “Goa..
Going.. Gone..?” and "Ami
Soglle Ek" was chaired by Dr. Cosma
Fernandes, while Valley Quadros
chaired the presentation on “Mhomvall
Vik.” Five transliterated books were
also released, and Thomazine Cardoza
was felicitated by Fr. Antony Salema
for his contribution to Konkani tiatr and
society.
Poetry | Breaking the mould by Shailendra Mehta
Though
society professes the equal status and dignity
of men and women, reality has long stood in
stark contradiction to this ideal. Across
history, women have been constrained and imposed
upon—by religion, social customs, family
structures, and unspoken norms. In this powerful
feminist poem, noted poet Bab Shailendra
Mehta gives voice to these silenced
truths, confronting the deep-rooted inequalities
that persist beneath the veneer of equality.
Article | Detailed study of Drama by Sunand, Australia
Drama
is far more than performance or entertainment;
it is a profound mode of human expression. By
mirroring life itself, drama captures emotions,
conflicts, and values that shape individual and
collective experience. Through the imitation of
real-life situations, it allows audiences to
reflect on their own lives and better understand
the world around them. The roots of drama lie in
the ritual and religious practices of ancient
societies, where early communities used symbolic
enactments to honor deities, mark seasonal
cycles, preserve memory, and express shared
beliefs. Over centuries, these sacred and
communal performances gradually evolved into a
structured art form, giving rise to drama as we
recognize it today. This exploration of drama
and its transformative role in society is
examined in depth by Sunand
(Joseph Dmello), a veteran author in Konkani and
English, based in Australia.
Poetry | I Too Want to Live by Valley Quadros
We
are increasingly living in a virtual world where
life has become a display. Yet, there are still
people who hold on to the hope of basic human
values from so-called humans. Repeated
tragedies, such as the midnight drowning of a
27-year-old Yuvaraj Mehta who died on 17 January
in Noida, cannot be brushed off as mere
haadsah
(accidents). They point to a deeper need for
awareness and humanity.
“I Too
Want to Live” is a conscious awakening,
a poem by Valley Quadros.
Poetry | AI (Artificial Intelligence) by Lawrence V Barboza
The
world has moved from broadcast to bandwidth, and
now to artificial intelligence. As machines
begin to represent human thought, we are
compelled to ask: can they also preserve human
values? A compelling poem on AI
by Lawrence V. Barboza, Manchester - UK.
Column | Kavya Darshan by Andrew L Dcunha
Since the year 2000, the digital era has given
new life to Konkani literature, particularly in
the Kannada script. Landmark poetry columns such
as
Kavitha Kullar (Melwyn Rodrigues,
2001),
Kavitha
Vhallo (Andrew L. Dcunha, 2002),
and
Kavitha
Daaiz (Valley Quadros, 2003)
marked this renewed creative surge.
Subsequently, Konkani poets across the globe
began engaging actively in poetry writing,
contributing to a vibrant and expanding literary
landscape. Andrew L. Dcunha, a
noted poet, short story writer, and discerning
critic, curates this column (KAVYA
DARSHAN) to deepen readers’ engagement
with poetry and its nuanced reading. In this
episode, he examines the multiple dimensions of
Cha Fra De Costa’s poetry,
offering critical insights and interpretative
perspectives. Readers are invited to share their
comments and feedback on this column/episode by
writing to
poinnariportal@gmail.com.
News | Ashawadi Prakashan's 100th Book Released in Goa
Ashawadi-25 (Poinnari Decennial
Special Issue), the 100th publication of
Ashawadi Prakashan, was released on 22 January
2026 during the National Seminar on
Spiritual Poetry in Konkani, held at
Carmel College, Nuvem. The
seminar was jointly organised by
Ashawadi Prakashan, Dalgado Konkani Akademi
(DKA), and Carmel College. In
addition to Ashawadi-25, eight other books were
released during the seminar. The programme was
inaugurated by Dr. Aldina Braganza,
Principal of Carmel College. Andrew L.
D’Cunha graced the occasion as the
Chief Guest, while Celso Fernandes,
President of Dalgado Konkani Akademi,
Queenie Viegas, Vice-Principal of
Carmel College, and Valley Quadros,
Editor of Poinnari, were present on the dais.
The digital release of e-books was carried out
by Sandesh Prabhudesai and
Dinesh Manerkar. The symposium
session was presided over by Dr.
Chandralekha D’Souza. Scholarly papers
were presented by Clarence Fernandes
(Nanu Marol), Fr. Jason Pinto,
Anju Sakhardande, and
Puja Sangodkar, focusing respectively
on the spiritual poetry of Andrew L.
D’Cunha, Fr. Pratap Naik, Prakash Padgaonkar,
and Jess Fernandes.The vote of
thanks was proposed by Vishwapratap
Pawar.
News | Audio Book #13: Konkani Beyond Scripts
(Audio
Book #13) ಬ್ರದರ್ ರೊಕಿ (ಆಂಡ್ರ್ಯೂ
ಎಲ್. ಡಿಕುನ್ಹಾ) ब्रदर रोकी
(आंड्र्यू एल. डिकुन्हा) Brother
Rockey - Konkani Short Story written
and presented by Andrew L Dcunha
for Ashawadi Prakashan. This story was written
in 1987 and was published in 'AMCHO YUVAK'
monthly. This audio book will follow some of the
finest short stories of Konkani, written in
various scripts across regions but in Konkani.
Please do not forget to SUBSCRIBE
our channel and share this short story with your
friends.
News | Audio Book #13: Konkani Beyond Scripts
(Audio
Book #13) ತಾಂಬ್ಡ್ಯಾ ಆಂಗ್ಲ್ಯಾಚೆಂ ಚೆಡುಂ
(- ಸುನಂದ್) तांबड्या आंगल्याचें
चेडूं (- सुनंद) the story written
and presented by Sunand (Joe
Dmello), a veteran author in Konkani and
English, based in Sydney, Australia. This audio
book will follow some of the finest short
stories of Konkani, written in various scripts
across regions but in Konkani. Please do not
forget to SUBSCRIBE our channel
and share this short story with your friends.
Video | Ashawadi Prakashan's Silver Jubilee
Ashawadi
Prakashan's Silver Jubilee and
Poinnari's Decennial
Celebration - A complete video of the
program held on 14 Dec 2025 at P.F.X.Saldanha
Auditorium, MCC Bank Mangalore.
News | Ashawadi Prakashan's Silver Jubilee
Ashawadi
Prakashan (2000–2025)
celebrated its Silver Jubilee,
and Poinnari.com (2015–2025) marked its
Decennial Celebration in a grand manner on 14
December 2025 in Mangalore. On this occasion, 25
books were released in memory of Basti Vaman
Shennoy. Eight achievers from various fields
were felicitated for their outstanding
contributions. Bab Avil Rasquinha
was conferred the Lifetime
Achievement Award for value-based
journalism in Konkani, in recognition of his
selfless and dedicated service to the Konkani
language. The Late Denis D’Cunha
Memorial Transliteration (Kannada) Book
Award instituted by Ashawadi Prakashan
was awarded to “Nirvasit
Yatrichi Bhounddi” by Shailendra Mehta,
transliterated and edited into Kannada script by
Valley Quadros, and published by Ashawadi
Prakashan. The programme was inaugurated by
Fr. Ronald D’Souza. Dr.
Chandralekha D’Souza, Bab Nandagopal Shennoy,
Fr. Melvin D’Cunha, and Bai
Corrine Rasquinha were the chief
guests.
For a detailed report and
photographs, kindly visit:
Analysis | Want to study abroad? - An eye-opener article
Lawrence
V Barboza, resides in Manchester and
works for UK Defence has brought an eye opener
writeup with research and incidents across
various regions, that impacted Indian students
who goto UK/USA or any country with a dream of a
bright career. Everyone who wants to send their
children abroad must read this article.
