Uday Bhembre

Uday Bhembre was a famous poet, Konkani writer, lawyer and former member of the Goa Legislative Assembly. He was noted for his role as the editor of the Konkani Daily ‘Sunaparant’ and as a Konkani language activist. Bhembre was also known as the lyricist of the famous Goan Konkani song “Channyache Rateem”. He was born in zambaulim, a village in south Goa. After his early education in Goa, Bhembre went to Bombay for persuing higher education. He was alumnus of Siddharth College, Mumbai. He joined Mumbai Akashvani Center as a lyricist.

Career and Literary works
Uday Bhembre was a lawyer by profession. He has been a vociferous advocate for the cause of Konkani Language. He played a great role in various movement related to the language. In the Goa Opinion Poll, Bhembre campaigned against Goa’s merger with Maharashtra. At that time, he authored a column in the popular Marathi newspaper “Rashtramat”. In his column entitled ‘Brahmastra’, Uday Bhembre campaigned for the anti-merger camp and his column played a great role in influencing the Goans in supporting the anti-merger camp. He was also a leader of the Konkani language agitation, and played a great role in the movement which led to the enactment of Goa, Daman and Diu Official Language Act,1987. This Act made Konkani as Goa’s official language. Bhembre also played role in Konkani’s inclusion to the Eighth schedule of the Indian Constitution and in granting Sahitya Akademi’s recognition to Konkani as an independent language. He was a leader of the Bhartiya Bhasha Suraksha Manch. In 1984 election Bhembre was elected as Independent candidate for Goa Legislative Assembly. Bhembre served as a editor of Konkani language newspaper “Sunaparant”. He neglected creative writing because of active participation in Konkani movement at social and organisational level. His articles in Rashtramat have been composed into a book entitled “Brahmastra”. “Channyache Rateem (collection of poems), Vhadlem Ghar(novel)” has been published. His “Karna Parv” was awarded the Sahitya Akademi Award.

Honours
Bhembre was the president of the Konkani Bhasha Mandal. He was awarded the “Kullagar Puraskar” ( 1999), Gundu Sitaram Amonkar Memorial Award (2001), Konkani Bhasha Mandal Patrakarita Puraskar(2008), Bhangrallem Goem Asmitai (2014) among others. Bhembre has been honoured with the Sahitya Akademi Award in Konkani language for the year 2015. He was also appointed as the chair professor of Poet Bakibab Borkar Chair of Goa University.