Media Release
Mangaluru, Dec 31: Mandd Sobhann, an organisation renowned for its monumental achievements in the Konkani cultural sphere, is celebrating the silver jubilee year of its “Mho’ynyalli Manchi” (monthly theatre) series.
As Eric Ozario envisioned Kalaangann as a hub for the performing arts, this series has continued without fail for 288 months, starting from January 6, 2002. The success of this initiative is attributed to its strict punctuality, discipline, consistency, and artistic diversity. All forms of performing arts of all dialects of Konkani have been showcased by artistes from across India and abroad on a uniquely designed stage, which was inaugurated by the famous Hindi actor, Naseeruddin Shah.
The inauguration of the silver jubilee year, titled "Rupya-Pavlam" (silver steps), will take place on Sunday, January 4, 2026, at 6 pm at Kalaangann, Shaktinagar. The event will be graced by Ivan Dsouza, MLC, as the chief guest, and Austin Roach, an entrepreneur and philanthropist from Bengaluru, as the guest of honour. Louis J Pinto, president of Mandd Sobhann, will preside over the ceremony.
During the event, Mandd Sobhann will launch a revamped and modernised version of its website, www.manddsobhann.org.
In a significant move to expand the reach of Konkani literature and events, the organisation will also launch an “e-Library” for Konkani books, "e-Bongsall" - a platform dedicated to promoting the works of Konkani writers and konkanishow.com - a specialised portal for information regarding Konkani cultural programmes. These initiatives represent Mandd Sobhann’s commitment to enhance the reach of Konkani Art and Literature by integrating traditional culture with modern technology.
Following the formal stage program, the 289th monthly theatre and the first performance of the silver jubilee year will feature a musical concert by Prajoth D’Sa, a software engineer currently based in Australia and one of the most talented in the Konkani music. He will be joined by vocalists Sonal Monteiro, Cleon D'Silva, and Ayush Menezes, with backing vocals by the Blue Angels Choir. The ensemble, directed by Russell Rodrigues, includes drummer Hrishikesh Upadhyaya, lead guitarist Joswin Dcunha, and bassist Milton Braggs.