Vishwa Konkani Sahitya Academy established by World Konkani Centre in the year 2009 has been actively promoting Konkani Language and Literature since its inception. Its activities include organising seminars, workshops and conferences apart from maintaining a series of prestigious literary awards and publishing quality literature in Konkani. The academy constitue a body with members drawn from active literary circles of Konkani. Following are the major programmes and projects under Vishwa Konkani Sahitya Academy.
Vishwa Konkani Sahitya Samaroh is the annual literary extravaganza at World Konkani Centre, Mangaluru, aimed at enriching of literary experiences in Konkani. The Samaroh will feature talks, panel discussions, a memorial lecture, paper presentations and a camp fire poetry session. The programme will culminate in an award ceremony to present prestigious Vimala V. Pai Vishwa Konkani Puraskars for Konkani literature and Basti Vaman Shenoy Seva Puraskar for exemplary social service by Konkani people.
The Vishwa Konkani Sahitya Samaroh is being organised in Partnership with Faculty of Languages and Literature, Goa University and Department of Kannada and Culture, Government of Karnataka.
Vishwa Konkani Puraskars are prestigious Literary and Service awards constituted by World Konkani Centre. Presently 3 awards in the literary field, i.e., Lifetime achievement in Konkani, Best Konkani Literary Book of the year and Best Konkani Poetry Book of the year are being awarded after a duly constituted selection process in the lines of Sahitya Akademy, New Delhi. The Literary Puraskars are named after Smt. Vimala V. Pai.
On the occasion of the 80th birthday celebrations of Shri Basti Vaman Shenoy, the founder of World Konkani Centre, Two awards have been constituted commemorating the service of the founder of World Konkani Centre. Awarded to both male and female who has rendered an exemplary service in their life time. The Service Award is named after Shri Basti Vaman Shenoy.
The Vishwa Konkani Puraskars were initiated in the year 2010 with one Literary award, now grown in to five prestigious awards every year. All these awards constitute purse of Rs. 1.00 Lakh each and other paraphernalia. All these awards are instituted with the generous contribution of Shri T.V.Mohandas Pai. The awards are being conferred on the personalities after a due nomination and selection process in a glittering award ceremony being held in the first week of November every year.
Round Table Conferecnes are organised by World Konkani Centre to bring all the stakeholders on a common meeting ground to discuss the issues pertaining to the Konkani Literature. Round Table Conferences on various themes including Translations, Education and Classic Literature has been organised in the past. Eminent litterateures, academicians, social leaders and enthusiasts have participated in these Conferences and contributed to the thought processes. The outcomes of these Conferences has led the World Konkani Centre in devicing strategies for the promotion of Konkani literature in general. The Round Table conference is held in the month of November every year in conjunction with Vishwa Konkani Puraskars Award Ceremony.
World Konkani Centre promotes Konkani literature also by publishing books in Konkani and in other languages. With a thurst to Translation of Literature in and out of Konkani Language, the World Konkani Centre has published steady stream of books since its inception. Major publication consists of Vishwa Konkani Parichay Kosh, a set of Konkani Encyclopedia, Kannada-Konkani Rathnakosh and several other creative writings have been published under the banner of VISHWA KONKANI SAHITYA. To encourage Konkani language reading among the children it has brought out a series of Konkani-English Bilingual Pictorial Books. With the advent of eBooks, World Konakni Centre has brought out a series of Childrens eBooks with Readaloud feature.
