DKA TO ORGANIZE 'FR. FREDDY J. DA COSTA MEMORIAL LECTURE' ON GÕYCHI
OSMITAY (THE GOAN IDENTITY)
Dalgado Konknni Akademi (DKA) will commemorate its First President Day
- late Fr. Freddy J. da Costa, by organizing Fr. Freddy J. da Costa
Memorial Lecture, on 19th July, 2011, the eve of his birth anniversary.
Senior Fulbright Fellow 2004 Dr. Savia Viegas will deliver Fr. Freddy
J. da Costa Memorial Lecture on ‘Gõychi Osmitay’ (The Goan Identity).
Dr. Savia Viegas holds a PhD in Satavahana Sculptural Art from the
University of Mumbai (2000). In 2001, she along with her students
undertook an empirical study of nearly 16,000 visitors over a period of
six months to draw a visitor profile to the Museum. In 2002 -2005 she
single handedly conceptualized, and fleshed out a three-year degree
course in Heritage Management which was hailed as the first in Asia at
an undergraduate level. The same was introduced in two colleges at the
undergraduate level. She was awarded the Senior Fulbright Fellowship
(2003-2004) and did a residency at the George Washington University and
the Smithsonion to map visitor studies in the various museums under that
banner. In mid 2005-2007 she completed a project entitled “The Family
Archive” under the aegis of the Ministry of Culture, Government of
India. Currently she is writing a book on the work of Goan painter
Angelo da Fonseca with a grant from the India Foundation for the Arts.
She had done a course in creative writing from George Washington
University in Washington DC (2003-04) and a course in Visual
Anthropology conducted by one of the founding fathers of Visual
Anthropology, Dr David Macdougall (ex UCLA later with Australian
National University). She also has to her credit Exhibitions,
Publications and Art-shows. In March 2005 she conducted “Museum thru
Indian eyes”, a photographic exhibition at NCPA sponsored by USEFI. In
March 2007 her debut novel, Tales from the Attic was published. In
December 2009 she held solo exhibition of her paintings under the title
of Picturing Us. Her second novel Hour of Eclipse to be published by
Penguin and fiction work Abha Nama are also slated for publication in 2011.
Presently she lives in Carmona, and runs Saxtti Foundation which tries
to put people at the centre of development. This initiative runs a
pre-primary school called Saxttikids, a film society called Saxttifilms
and an art resource called Saxttiart which tries to showcase village craft.
On the occasion, two books – Ami Povitr Sobha authored by Fr. Louis
Alvares, and a collection of poems by Cirilo D. Fernandes titled Mhojea
Bannavle Ganvant - both published under DKA’s Pikavoll Scheme will be
released.
President of DKA Premanand A. Lotlikar will preside over the function.
The function will be held at Tiatr Akademi Goa’s Auditorium, Campal
Panjim, at 4.30 pm. All, especially the Konknni lovers and members of
DKA are requested to attend the function.
