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Mangalore, Jan 22 : Mumbai-based veteran Konkani singer and composer, Henry D’Souza, who is highly popular among Konkani music lovers for his evergreen songs like ’ye ye Katrina’, ’Ami Dhogo Sezara’ has been chosen for ‘Sandesha Puraskara-2015’ Award.

Dr C Veeranna bagged Sandesha Literary Award, Naveen D Padil bagged Art Award, Laxmi Damle bagged Top Teacher Award, Dr Jayamala bagged Media Award and Gopal Karvi bagged Special Award.The Award selection Committee comprised Richard Lewis, Dr Na Damodar Shetty, Eric Ozario, Chandrakala Nandavara and Sara Abubakker.

The Awards will be conferred during a function scheduled to be held at Sandesha Auditorium, Bajjody, here on Saturday January 24, informed the Foundation director Fr Vijay Victor Lobo.

About Henry D’Souza:

Henry D Souza was born in Basrikatte, near Koppa, a small town  enfolded  by the picturesque Western Ghats and naturally the  tranquil  milieu must have had a profound influence on  his  young mind fuelling his creative impulses at an early age.   He had his early education at St Joseph’s in Chickmagalur and secondary schooling at Padua High School Mangalore and at St Philomena’s Puttur, before graduating from St Aloysius College Mangalore.   During  his stint  as a student at St Aloysius college Henry got an opportunity to showcase his musical flair winning laurels in western classical singing. This gave him the initial push and  fuelled his singing talent.    Henry then moved to Mumbai where he did his law degree from Mumbai University and from then onwards  Mumbai became his abode.   But he continued to nurture his Konkani moors in this commercial capital of the country.

In Mumbai he pursued a professional career as a financial consultant and vented his creativity by pursuing journalistic activities.     He also has  written  3 Konkani plays “Sobhit Samasar”, “Ghar Rani” and “Athanso Samsar”, which have been staged successfully from time to time.   Despite finding various conduits to give vent to his multifarious talents, he could no longer  keep his predilection for music in the closet for long.  Driven by an uncanny  determination he  set up his own  western music band in 1964 with him as the lead singer.  As the lead singer of the group he began to sing effortlessly some of the popular songs of the star singers of yesteryears  like Cliff Richard, Elvis Presley, Ricky Nelson, Pat Boon and many others,  in five star hotels, during parties, weddings and other celebrations.  Slowly but steadily, Henry D Souza, the singer had arrived and he  climbed the ladder of popularity to emerge as a singer in his own right. In the same year the first Konkani song he sang for All India Radio, Mumbai “Sanchem Ketem hai hai Bombhai  Sherachem”   propelled him to the zenith of popularity and as the cliché goes there has been no stopping of his extraordinary singing talent from blooming.

From 1964 onwards, he has recorded more than 700 songs for All India Radio, Mumbai  and these songs are broadcast repeatedly even now by Mumbai AIR in its Konkani programmes.  It is a matter of pride for all   Konkanis  that his songs are broadcast over radio in Sri Lanka, Kuwait, Bahrain  and Qatar. Henry  has given solo programmes and teamed up with Dr  Aparna Mayenkar  for duet song performance for Mumbai  Doordarshan.   It goes to the credit of Henry that he has been singing the songs  “Ye Ye Katrina” and “Ami Dogi Sezara”  written and composed by  him in his every programme for the last 45 years  and these still drive the audience crazy.  Radio Ceylon popularized his song “ye ye Katrina” by broadcasting it for nearly two years .  The song has been translated into Sinhalese  language keeping the original tune intact and choreographed too  and it was a major attraction in most of their functions for many decades.

Awards:

Henry have poured in from all quarters and from different organizations  from time to time for his commendable service for Konkani in general and Konkani music in particular.  He has been honoured with the titles “Sangeet Samrat”  at Town Hall in Mangalore by Shanti Club, Bajjodi,   in 1988 and  with “Kala Ratna”  by Konkan Taran – Jerry-Merry, Mumbai,   in 1995.   He has been honoured  by Permannur  Catholic community,  by Belman church during it scentenary celebration, by Konkani Cathlic Sangh (R), Mysore, St Mary’s Association, Shirva, Mumbai, Konkani Welfare Association, Mumbai, Konkani Kutam, Bahrain  and many other organizations,   for his contribution to Konkani music.  It was Henry who had the honour of presenting Daiji Dubai Puraskar  in Dubai to Konkan Kogul Wilfy Rebimbus in 2007.