Media Release
Doha, Jun 12: Renowned veteran Konkani playwright, compere, actor-director, poet and creative graphic artist Eddie Sequeira was conferred with the prestigious MCA Kala Puraskar-2025, given by the Mangalore Cultural Association, Qatar, during a houseful 287th Wilfy Nite, held at the Hamilton International School Auditorium, here, recently. Wilfy Nite, the greatest entertainment in Konkani was presented by Mangalore Cultural Association as part of its annual celebrations.
The ever enthusiastic and supportive Konkani buffs of Qatar were fortunate to witness a never-seen-before and one-of-its-kind Wilfy Nite as Sukh Dukh Express chugged off through the railway platform created through technical mastery at the majestic Hamilton International School auditorium. The entire show was a brilliant amalgamation of timeless golden melodies composed by the late Konkan Kogull Wilfy Rebimbus, melodious singing lead by none other than Konkan Myna Meena Rebimbus, scintillating dances by Qatar’s talented dancers, rib-tickling comedy by Qatar’s best actors, superlative compering by one of Konkani’s best comperes Dony Correa and unmatched, on-stage technical brilliance created by the specialist technical team flown in specially for the show from Mangaluru, Bengaluru and Dubai.
Sukh Dukh Express began its journey and chugged off ceaselessly for the next 5 hours, transporting the audience through a journey of happy, ecstatic, sad, grim, hopeful and exciting situations, as 24 everlasting Konkani songs of Wilfy Rebimbus, knit skilfully with the beautifully crafted script, created a real-life world in front of the audience. The flawless performance by nearly 100 artists on a single stage, with live music and dance and without any break in itself was a novelty to Qatar Konkani stage. This left the full-house, ever applauding audience spellbound and asking for more as Sukh Dukh Express made its last stop of the day late in the night.
The much-anticipated evening began with the MCA anthem sung by the MCA executive committee members. It was Gulf Voice of Mangalore as well as Mojho Tallo Gaitalo winner and Qatar’s most loved voice Clement Fernandes who gave a rousing start to the event with his melodious singing and in the next few minutes renowned singers Ivan Sequeira from Mangalore, Babita Pinto from Canada, Carol D’Souza, Rupert Lobo, Anjali Andrade, Cristle Pinto, Naveen D’Souza from Qatar took up to the stage for the first performance of the evening. They were joined in by dancers and other artists before Rebimbus family led by Konkan Myna Meena Rebimbus made entry to the stage amidst thundering applause of the audience that reverberated through the auditorium. As Veena Rebimbus, Vishwas Rebimbus, Arvin Pais, Anna Pais and Roger Rebimbus stepped on to the stage, audience welcomed them with rousing applause. It needed the extraordinary audience management skills of vivacious and vibrant compere Dony Correa who had donned the role of railway TC, to restore normalcy in the auditorium.
The next few hours were pure magic woven by renowned and established singers and accompanied by the most elegant feet of Doha Dance Squad choreographed by Gulf Baila Naach winner Vijaya D’Souza and Doha Step Shakers, choreographed by creative Derrick Crasta. While singers and dancers kept the audience glued to their seats with their scintillating performances, two of Qatar’s best actors Amith Mathias and Merlyn D’Souza, made the audience jump out of their seats with their rib-tickling comedy.
While the established singers were at their best, it was Qatar’s little stars Chris Menezes, Sanuel D’Souza, Jonathan D’Souza, Rebecca D’Silva, Anjest Pinto, Raizel Lasrado, Prenia Pinto and Ciara Fernandes who stole the show with their memorable special performance.
And then came the moment of the day when Eddie Sequeira was conferred with the prestigious MCA Kala Puraskar-2025, for his over six decades of contribution to various forms of Konkani arts and literature. He was draped with a shawl, adorned with a peta and presented with citation, memento and a cheque of Rs 1 lac by Indian ambassador to the state of Qatar Vipul and MCA advisors Felix Lobo, Wilfred Fernandes, Jerry Pinto and MCA president Gladson Almeida.
Acknowledging the honour, Eddie Sequeira, known for his extraordinary speaking skills, rather let his heart speak as he went through the memory lane fondly, recalling his entry to the Konkani stage at the young age of 12 and his non-stop contribution of over 6 decades to the various art forms of Konkani. He specially recalled the role played by ChaFra D’Costa, Wilfy Rebimbus and Felix Lobo and Konkani audience of native land as well as Qatar in shaping his life’s artistic as well as professional journey. Eddie Sequeira who had spent more than two decades of his professional career in Doha, is also one of the founder members of the Mangalore Cultural Association. He was effusive in grace and gratefulness as he thanked MCA for choosing him for the Kala Puraskar. “In my 60 years on Konkani stage, various persons, institutions and associations have associated themselves with me, have taken up my professional as well as artistic services. However, none of them ever recognised my service and my contribution. MCA Qatar is the first association or institution to have recognised my contribution to Konkani and I am glad that I am one among MCA’s family members. This award will stay ever close to my heart because it’s my first one,” he said.
Indian ambassador to the state of Qatar Vipul too was felicitated on the occasion. Addressing the audience, he recalled his last visit to MCA’s annual programme in the year 2024 and also recalled the noble initiative of MCA of presenting Kala Puraskar. Veteran Konkani write Eddie Netto was the recipient of MCA Kala Puraska-2024. Since, he could not attend the award function at Doha due to his advance age, MCA took special initiative and organised function in Mangaluru during which Kala Puraskar was conferred on Eddie Netto. Ambassador applauded MCA for such noble initiative. “This shows MCA is not giving out these awards just for the sake of it but rather you really mean to recognise the contribution of these stalwarts to Konkani culture, language, literature and society. I personally take up keen interest in promoting various languages, cultures and traditions of various Indian states in Qatar because they keep us rooted with our native land. I am glad that MCA is doing this work of promoting and nurturing language and culture and at the same time reaching out to the needy back home. Keep up these good deeds,” he added.
Earlier in his keynote address MCA president Gladson Almeida highlighted MCA’s mission of promoting Konkani language and culture through various initiatives in Qatar and also reaching out to the needy students and sick members of the community back home. “Saint Theresa of Kolkata is our patroness and having been inspired by her, we have been trying to give back to the society by reaching out to the needy back home in our little ways in the last 18 years. Over the years our support to good causes has crossed over Rs 1 crore and we are still able to continue our mission, due to the generosity of our sponsors and members,” said Gladson and welcomed the guests and audience.
All the singers, dancers, actors, musicians as well as the sponsors were presented with mementoes on the occasion. So too winners of MCA’s maiden singing competition as well as 4th Konkani Quiz competition too were presented with their prizes.
The entire stage programme was compered by Sukh Dukh Express’ another TC, Qatar’s very own and best Nelvita Noronha. MCA joint secretary Melita Lobo read the citation.
Post short stage programme, 287th Wilfy Nite on the tracks of Sukh Dukh Express and Mangalore Central platform, kept chugging off as popular Konkani numbers of Wilfy Rebimbus presented by soulful Ivan Sequeira, ever melodious Babita Pinto, audience’s favourite Meena Rebimbus, Veena Rebimbus and Vishwas Rebimbus, Qatar’s golden voices Clement Fernandes, Rupert Lobo, Ajnali Andrade, Carol D’Souza, Cristle Pinto and Naveen D’Souza, enthralled the audience. The third generation of Konkani’s first family, the Rebimbus Family, Arvin Pais, Anna Pais and Roger Rebimbus proved that music runs through the veins of the Rebimbus clan as they stamped their authority on the show with their captivating performances.
Konkani’s celebrated musical duo Pappan-Joswin, who have worked closely with the Rebimbus family, particularly to preserve Wilfy’s legacy, for over four decades, again proved they are the masters of their trade as they elegantly blended traditional elements with contemporary trends to create pure musical spectacle on stage.
Dony Correa has risen through the ranks to be one of Konkani’s finest comperes in recent times. His mastery over the language and extraordinary audience management skills are second to none. He was at his best at the 287th Wilfy Nite as he held the entire show bound from start to the end with his spontaneity, wit, clever stage management and delicate audience engagement. It was Dony who wrote the script for this musical theatre which was a combination of songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance. Vishwas Rebimbus took up the directorial responsibilities of the show.
The story and emotional content of a musical – humour, pathos, love, anger, excitement – were communicated through words, music, dance, acting and technical aspects of the entertainment as an integrated whole and complete entertainment package.
A special and competent team of technical specialists Charleen Rebimbus from Mangaluru, Davin D’Souza, Nevis D’Souza from Bengaluru and Rohan Lobo from Dubai, was flown in all the way to Qatar to take care of technical aspects of the show. The entire team did a fabulous job as audience were left stunned with their technical mastery behind such a novel and innovative show.
Bishop Ignatius D’Souza of Bareilly diocese and Fr Paul Melwyn D’Souza, OFM, Cap, vicar provincial of Holy Trinity province of Karnataka were present in the audience. ICBF vice president Deepak Shetty, Karnataka Sangha Qatar president Ravi Shetty, KMCA president Saquib Raza Khan, Tulu Koota Qatar president Sandesh Anand, MCC Qatar vice president Shameen Lewis too were present on the occasion.
This being a special and first-of-its-kind shows when it comes to Konkani in Qatar, MCA left no stone unturned making it memorable even to the audience, with exciting prizes and raffle draws. While Rita Andrade won the 50 inches smart TV in the mega raffle draw, Meena Mascarenhas, Jason Menezes and Praveen Lobo won exciting prizes for people’s choice songs.
All in all, it was a memorable and superhit 287th Wilfy Nite presented by Mangalore Cultural Association, Qatar. Renowned entrepreneur and Konkani philanthropist Michael D’Souza from UAE was the main sponsor of the event while Grassland Developers from Udupi and Al Moayyed Commercial Services, Qatar were the silver sponsors. Anil Fernandes & Family, Qatar, ETAG Powersmith Electronic Trading WLL, Gamut Middle East Trading and Contracting and Al Reyada Medical Centre were the audio visual and travel sponsors for the event.
Mangalore Cultural Association, Qatar, thanked main sponsor Michael D’Souza and all its sponsors whose generosity played a major role in the successful presentation of a dream show.