Thomas Stephens Konknni Kendr (TSKK) has chosen the veteran Konknni singer Mr. Ulhas Buyão popularly known as Goa Shahir, as the recipient of Antonio Pereira Konknni Puroskar (APKP) for the year 2006. He is chosen for his valuable contribution to Konknni lyrics, music and stage performance for the last forty years.

The award consists of a shawl, memento and a cheque of Rs. 25,000/-. The award will be conferred on him by Mr. Eric Ozario, the President of Karnataka Konknni Sahitya Academy of Karnataka Government. The public function will be held on Friday, 25 August 2006 at 5.00p.m. sharp at Grace Church Hall, Margao. The function is open for all the lovers of Konknni, friends of Ulhas Buyão and the general public. Siddhanath Buyão and his troupe will present a few songs of Mr. Ulhas during the function.

Ulhas Buyão was born on 21 June 1944 at Zambaulim, Goa. Recently he has been awarded the Goa State Art and Cultural Award by the Goa Govt. He is passionate about his music and compositions and they play an integral role in his life. Over the years he has created his own unique identity in Goan Music, whether it is Bhajan, kantar or a folk song.

The hallmark of his composition has been his ability to communicate a feeling of strong emotion and message through his renditions. Through his Buyão Theatre’s Gõy, he has produced audio cassettes and CDs. Since 1963 he has given approximately 500 programmes on All India Radio, Panaji. He has given a number of programmes on Goa Doordarshan. His ill health has not dampened his spirit or kept him away from singing and composing music.

Mr. Ulhas is a person of multiple dimensions. He is a stage artist. He has acted in Konknni and Marathi plays and tiatrs. Besides his own Konknni plays and tiatrs, he has acted in M. Boyer’s "Ekuch Rosto" tiatr 65 shows; Prem Kumar’s "Visvas" tiatr 20 shows and Mike Mehta’s tiatr "Sunita" 20 shows. As an artist he has supported and encouraged a number of other artists to develop their talents.

Ulhas Buyão took an active role during the opinion poll to preserve Goa’s identity. He moved from village to village to concentize the people through his songs and speeches against merging Goa with Maharashtra. For this mission he organized more than 75 programmes in different parts of Goa. Similarly during the language agitation in 1986 he was active to support Konknni as the State Language.

He was the publisher of "Rat Ranni" Konknni periodical in Roman script. He has published his Konknni books "Ram Gita", "Hanga khun zala" and "Yo go tum manddar". On 25 August, during the APKP function at Margao his Konknni novel "Novi Fantodd" in Roman script will be released by Dr. Pratap Naik, S.J., Director of TSKK.

Now out of his own conviction he is fully involved with the agitation to get equal and official status to Konknni written in Roman script in the Official Language Act. In this context he has written extensively in Marathi and Konknni. He has selflessly served Goa and Konknni without expecting anything in return. Ulhas is an artist, singer, writer and moreover a man of convictions, values and integrity.

Pratap Naik, S.J.

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