About
Saratchandra Shenoi
Saratchandra Shenoi (b-1953) is a renowned Konkani poet and author, whose contributions towards Konkani language, literature and art are truly multifaceted.
Over the past several decades, each of his collections of Konkani poems has made its mark as a significant and milestone work. His collections have won all the major national awards for Konkani literature.
Shenoi’s research work on Konkani folklore of Kerala resulted in the book लोकधन, an extensive introduction to the Konkani folklore of Kerala. The book remains as the only one of its kind even after two decades of its publication.
The Konkani plays and skits penned by him have been presented by local artists since 2000. These too have since been brought out in book form as रंगभूमी – a collection of Konkani plays.
Shenoi’s studies and research on Konkani language and literature of Kerala resulted in scores of authentic and authoritative papers presented at various seminars. These also have been brought out in book form as रसिक रसायन.
His sustained effort to compile and publish literary works of other Konkani writers (including past masters) has resulted in five significant literary anthologies, some of which are nothing short of unique.
Mr. Shenoi is seen here with his better half, Mrs. Radhika Shenoi, their daughter Deepthi, son-in-law Pramod, and grand-daughter ‘Swara’.
Awards
- Sahitya Akademi Main Award in Konkani – 1999 (New Delhi) for his Collection of Konkani Poems titled ANTARNAD
- Vishwa Konkani Poetry Award – 2018 (Mangaluru) for his Collection of Konkani Poems titled IDAM NA MAMA
- Dr. T. M. A. Pai Best Konkani Book Award – 2010 (Manipal) for his Collection of Konkani Poems titled ATMAYAN
- Devaki Krishna Trust Translation Award – 1991 (Ernakulam) for his book titled MIRA – JIVAN ANI KAVAN
More about Shenoi
Shenoi’s contribution in popularizing Konkani language among people of all ages is significant as well as inspiring. He has authored primers, language guides and vocabularies of Konkani.
In the field of translation, Shenoi has more than ten books to his credit. While most are translations from other languages into Konkani, some translations are from Konkani to other languages.
Shenoi has represented Konkani at innumerable poet meets, some of which are – Prasar Bharati’s ‘Sarvabhasha Kavi Sammelan’ held at SantiNiketan, Kolkata; ‘South Indian Poets’ Meet’ at Thunchan Parambu, Tirur; Multi-Lingual Poets’ Symposium of Trivandrum DoorDarshan Kendra; Vishwa Konkani Kavi Sammelan at Mangalore; Bharat Bhavan’s Multi-Lingual Poets’ Meet at Ernakulam; Sahitya Akademi’s ‘Mulakhat’ at Kumta; ‘Kavya Sandhya’ at Kochi; ‘SahityaManch’ at Calicut; Kavita Fest 2016 and Sahitya Akademi’s ‘Kavi Sandhi’ at Vishwa Konkani Kendra, Mangalore. His online poetry recitals are available on YouTube: Sahitya Akademi Webline Series – Multilingual Poetry 2020; Sahitya Akademi’s All India Poetry Festival 2022.
He has also delivered the ‘P.G. Kamath commemoration Lecture 2022’ at Ernakulam.
His first collection of poems titled ‘Antarnad’ bagged the prestigious main award for Konkani in 1999 from the SAHITYA AKADEMI, New Delhi. This collection was greatly appreciated and lauded by veteran Konkani poets and authors. A special silver jubilee commemoration edition was brought out in 2022. Shenoi’s second collection of poems titled ‘Atmayan’ won the ‘Dr. T.M.A. Pai Best Konkani Book Award’ in 2010.
His third collection of poems titled ‘Idam Na Mama’ won the ‘Vishwa Konkani Poetry Award’ in 2018. He has authored two Shataka poems (108 verses) titled ‘SriKrishna KathaSudha’ and ‘GuruVachanaSudha’. His other lyrical works are ‘GeetSarovar’ and ‘Gosripuresa Bhajanamrit’. He has two poetry collections in digital format also – ‘Kavi Ani Kavita’ and ‘Sakalchim Savnnim’.
Lokdhan is an extensive introduction rendered by him to the Konkani folklore of Kerala. ‘Rasika Rasayan’ is a collection of essays on culture and literature penned by him. ‘Rangbhoomi’ is a collection of short plays penned by him. Over the past three decades Shenoi had written FOREWORDS to many books of his contemporaries. These have now been compiled into a digital book titled, ‘Sahitya Aswad’. However, Shenoi’s first book was ‘Mira – Jivan Ani Kavan’, a monograph on the 16th Century poet Mira Bai. This book won him the Devaki Krishna Trust Translation Award in 1991. He has translated ‘SriKrishna Karnamrit’, ‘Sri Venkatesa Suprabhat’ and ‘Samajika-Nitikavya-Guchah’ (Dr. M. V. Nadkarni) from Sanskrit. The epoch making Malayalam novel ‘Agnisakshi’ has been translated by him into Konkani. His Konkani translation of the historical Malayalam book by late Sri. Ranga Hari is published as ‘Goyant Jallem Dharmantar, Katha Ani Vyatha’. He has also translated the Sahitya Akademi Award winning collection of Malayalam poems by Prof. V. Madhusoodanan Nair into Konkani as ‘Baban Jalmallem Ghar’.
He has translated the Konkani Poems of Dr. Manohar Rai SarDessai into Malayalam as ‘Chitrasalabhangal’. His Malayalam rendering of the Konkani stories of Radhika Shenoi is published as ‘Pon Tiri’. He has translated P. G. Kamath’s book of Konkani Essays into English as ‘Script, a scientific contemplation’. He has translated the Konkani Khandakavya by late Sri. Ranga Hari into English as ‘Saga of the Uprooted’.
In 1995, he compiled and edited a literary anthology titled ‘Sahitya Sankalan’, which introduced eleven contemporary Konkani writers of Kerala along with their literary works of various genres. In 1999, he compiled and edited an anthology of 20th century Konkani Poetry of Kerala, titled ‘Kavyodyan’, containing 35 poems of 35 poets, past and present. In 2005, he compiled and edited an anthology of short stories and travelogues by 15 contemporary women writers of Kerala titled, ‘SahityaDeepthi’. His fourth anthology was the monumental ‘Nandadeep’, containing rare and original Keralite Konkani Literature of a bygone Era. His fifth and latest anthology titled ‘Uktya Mallbakhala’ comprises travelogues by eleven Konkani authors of Kerala.
Shenoi has authored some language guides and vocabularies of Konkani. ‘Konkani Baraitana’ of 2001 was co-authored with late Sri. P. G. Kamath. ‘Konkani Bhasha Pathana Sahayai’ is for learning Konkani through Malayalam, and contains a bilingual vocabulary. ‘A handbook for writing Better Konkani’ has English as its medium and is annexed with a bilingual vocabulary. ‘Akshara Gita’ is a guide for the very young and it introduces the Devanagari Alphabet sampled by select verses from the Bhagavad Gita. His bilingual vocabulary titled ‘Malayalam Konkani Kriyapadavali’ contains a large vocabulary of verbs, appended with a mini vocabulary of other words.
He has authored two novelettes – ‘Parne Ghar’ (Children’s literature) and ‘Anischit’.
Many institutions and associations at literary, social, and cultural levels have honoured him. He was honoured by the S. G. S. Sabha, Calicut in 2014 for his literary and linguistic contribution to Konkani. He was honoured by Anugraha Charitable Trust, Ernakulam in 2015 for his initiative and assistance in connection with the ‘Ranga Bhat – Vinayak Pandit – Appu Bhat’ memorial at Kochi. In their 15th Anniversary Celebration, ‘Vyshnava Rathne’ the popular community Monthly of Kerala bestowed on him the honour, KONKANI JANARATNA. He was honoured by the G.S.B. Mahasabha – Kerala with the title PRATIBHA SHRI, which was bestowed on him at the divine hands of Shrimad Samyamindra Tirtha Swamiji at Ambalamedu in 2015.
He has been devoting much of his time for the enrichment of Konkani language and literature since 1974. In this mission, he is always supported by his better half Radhika Shenoi, herself a Konkani author. Their only daughter Deepthi is married to Pramod Mohandas. Thus, Mrs. and Mr. Shenoi are now the happy grand-parents of little ‘Swara’.
Postal address: Saratchandra Shenoi, GOKUL, 18/535 A, PALLURUTHY, Kochi – 682006 Email: saratchandrashenoi@gmail.com