Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru
Mangaluru, Jul 8: Singer-lyricist and composer Ronald D'Souza, better known as Rony Bondel, passed away at Ave Maria Pallative Care hospital here on Saturday July 8. He was 70.
Composer of the songs of the first movie in Konkani language, 'Tisri Cheet', Rony was born in Bondel in a family of seven siblings. After completing his ITI in Mangaluru, Rony went to Mumbai and from there he went to Muscat where he worked for two years. After coming back to Mangaluru he worked for Lamina Foundation and also at Jeppu Workshop. He later started his own carpentry shop in Bondel where he led a retired life with his wife Gracy.
The first song he sang was 'Bavli' (doll) in 1966 for his own lyrics and that propelled him to the top as a promising singer in Konkani. Apart from the songs of 'Tisri Cheet' he went on to sing some of the evergreen Konkani numbers like 'Punvechi raat', 'Amchya Vadyanthlen', 'Mai' and also the song he composed following the tragic plane crash of 2010 at Bajpe airport.
He composed about 400 songs and wrote hymns for various occasions especially for church related activities and function. For the 2008 Konkani Niranthari that created Guinness World Record Rony gave 18 of his compositions and trained his own group that performed at the event.
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