Panaji: Fifty-three groups from Goa are taking part in a first-of-its-kind Guinness World Record attempt in Mangaluru, where 4,500 Konkani songs will be sung over 12 days. The marathon will run for 12 hours and 12 minutes each day and will feature 6,789 singers across 300 teams.Inaugurating the First World Konkani Music Mega Convention in Mangaluru, chief minister Pramod Sawant said Goa govt is ready to support organisations — even those outside Goa — that work for the promotion and growth of Konkani.Sawant said he was overwhelmed by the efforts of organisations in neighbouring states, including Karnataka, to promote the language. He noted that Konkani-speaking people were likely once part of a single region, but migrated over time for various reasons.
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Even so, he said, Konkani, the coast, and “fish, curry, rice” have kept Konkani speakers connected across generations.The record attempt is being organised by Mandd Sobhann under its president, Louis Pinto, along with Ronald Colaco and others. Praising the scale of the preparations, Sawant said, “Vishwas Konkani Kendre has created huge infrastructure. I often feel Goans should come and see what you have done for Konkani.”He also urged Konkani speakers to unite and set aside differences of caste, religion, and region.Referring to developments at the national level, Sawant said that under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s govt, a Konkani translator was appointed in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha for the first time. He recalled that former Goa chief minister Churchill Alemao was the first to speak in Konkani in Parliament, but at the time no one could understand because there were no translators. He said that along with speaking Konkani in the two Houses, having translators to ensure it is understood is equally important.
