GANDHINAGAR: Young Konkani authors Sneha Sabnis, Steny D’Souza, and Govind Mopkar took part in the Western Regional Young Writers’ Conference, which was organized by the Central Sahitya Akademi in collaboration with the Gujarat Sahitya Akademi and the Gandhinagar Sahitya Sabha. The event took place at the Zaverchand Meghani Bhavan auditorium in Gandhinagar, Gujarat, on Thursday, December 22. During the first session, young writer and activist Sneha Sabnis shared her insights on the theme ‘Why I Write’. She emphasized the importance of the Konkani language movement, asserting that language should foster unity and that literature serves as a powerful medium to address societal issues. This session was chaired by Gujarati author Parikshit Joshi, with contributions from young writers representing Gujarati, Sindhi, and Marathi backgrounds. The second session featured storytelling in Konkani, Gujarati, Sindhi, and Marathi. Steny D’Souza, a Konkani writer and journalist from Kerala-Kasarkod, presented his story titled ‘Freedom Park’, which explored the theme of moral policing. This session was led by Sindhi writer Jetho Lalwani. In the third and concluding session, Konkani poet and professor Govind Mopkar recited three poems, focusing on themes related to Goa and women. He performed Konkani poems that celebrated the nature and culture of Goa. This session was also presided over by Parikshit Joshi. In total, 20 young writers from Goa, Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Kerala participated in the conference.
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