To be cremated today with guard of honour
MARCEL, AUG 27
Jnanpith awardee and renowned Konkani writer Ravindra Kelekar (85) passed away at a private hospital in Margao on Friday at about 11.30 am.
According to Kelekar’s family members, his condition had deteriorated due to age-related problems a few months ago.
The mortal remains of the legendary writer will be cremated on Saturday with a guard of honour at a crematorium at 12 noon, at Priol in Ponda taluka.
Kelekar’s body was brought to his home at Priol at about 3.30 pm on Friday, where numerous personalities from the political, social, literary and other fields visited Kelekar’s residence to offer condolences to the bereaved family.
Among them included former chief minister Luizinho Faleiro, Priol MLA Deepak Dhavlikar, Goa Konkani Academy President N Shivdas, writer Dilip Borkar, writer Shridhar Kamat Bambolkar, Kala Academy Member Secretary Pandurang Phaldessai and activist Adv Satish Sonak.
Kelekar is survived by his son, Girish, daughter-in-law and grand children.
Born on March 25, 1925 at Cuncolim in South Goa, Kelekar was influenced by the Gandhian thoughts, and had been actively involved in the freedom struggle and Goa liberation movement.
Although he also wrote in Marathi and Hindi, his contributions for the growth of Konkani were immense. He was always in the forefront of the Konkani movement. He is considered the pioneer of modern Konkani movement.
Ravindrabab as he was popularly known an untiring voice of the awakening, has always been at the vanguard of the battle armed with Gandhian conviction and democratic values. As such, the virtues of egalitarian humanism, ethical probity, spirit of justice and secularism are inherent to his progressive mindset, his constructive activism and his bold espousal of truth.
