Goa loses two of its cultural ambassadors to Covid-19

PANAJI: Over the last two days, Thursday and Friday, Goa lost two of its well-known cultural ambassadors to Covid-19, with the demise of Konkani Sahitya Akademi award winning poet Prakash Padgaonkar and musician Yogiraj Naik Borkar.
Padgaonkar was known for his distinct style of Konkani poetry in a writing career spanning over four decades and had won the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1986 for his publication ‘Hanv Monis Ashwatthamo’.
In 2007, the Goa government presented him with ‘Rajya Sanman’ for his contribution in the field of literature at the national level. This was followed by the State Cultural Award for Cultural Excellence in 2009-10.
Padgaonkar’s poetry was also the subject of doctoral research at the Goa University.
He also won the Konkani Bhasha Mandal award twice for his work ‘Uzvaddachim Pavlam’ and ‘Vascoyan’. The poet also won the Best Book Award (2005) of the Dr TMA Pai Foundation, Manipal, for ‘Vhaunti Nhai Kallachi’.
On the other hand, Yogiraj Naik Borkar was an accomplished sitar player and represented the young generation of Indian classical musicians in Goa. He trained initially under guru Kareem Khan in the ‘Itawa Gharana’, a style that lays strong emphasis on rhythm along with melody.
His grandmother Pirozbai was the disciple of legendary maestro of Agra Gharana Ustad Nanhe Khan and she initiated Borkar in to Hindustani Classical Music.
Borkar had been performing professionally from the age of 15 at prestigious national level classical music festivals. He had composed more than 50 songs in Marathi and Konkani, winning many accolades for them.
He has successfully conducted many programs of fusion music, blending pure Hindustani Classical music with Jazz, pop and rock music. “Goa has lost renowned sitar player Yogiraj Naik. It’s a great loss to the world of music. Heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family. May his atma attain sadgati,” tweeted AAP’s Rahul Mhambre.