LITERATURE/POETRY

The small State of Goa has produced a significant amount of publication activity, possibly due to the fact that its people write in a number of languages, as many as 13, and also because of the large expatriate and diaspora population of Goans settled across the globe.

Among its noted writers are Laxmanrao Sardessai (1904-1986), RV Pandit (1917-1990), both of whom wrote poetry and prose in Marathi, Konkani and Portuguese; Shenoi Goembab (1877-1946) whose Konkani writing helped to establish Konkani as a modern literary language; Ravindra Kelekar (1925-2010) among the 20th century’s most important Konkani writers and Pundalik Naik, born 1952, whose 1977 novel ‘Acchev’ was the first Konkani novel to be translated into English. Respected writers include poet Bakibab Borkar (1910- 1984) and Damodar Mauzo, born 1944, awarded the 57th Jnanpith Award, India’s highest literary honour in 2021. The short story writer, novelist, critic and script writer in Konkani is also the recipient of a number of other awards including the Sahitya Akademi Award and the Frank O’Connor International Award.

Other literary stars writing in English and other languages include accomplished scholar and writer Maria Aurora Couto (1937-2022), Victor Rangel Ribeiro, born 1925, a writer, journalist and editor, who won the prestigious Milkweed National Fiction Prize for his work ‘Tivolem’ (1998), Venita Coelho, who has won recognition for her contribution to children’s literature, Margaret Mascarenhas, Savia Viegas and more.

Since its inception in 2010, The Goa Arts & Literature Festival (GALF) has slowly emerged as one of the premier cultural showcases for India. The homegrown Festival has created a vibrant community of people interested in the arts and has periodically brought a distinguished list of speakers to Goa including Nobel Prize winner Abhijit Banerjee.