Dubai: Gulf music awards - Rony & Preema best singers, Lancy’s album top, Arthur best lyricist

By Ajith Peter D’souza
Pics by Deepak Paladka
Bellevision Media Network

Dubai, 19 Nov 2014: Gulf Konkani Music awards, initiated by Little Flowers Mukamar (LFM), ), an association of parishioners of Mukamar parish in Udupi diocese, working in different emirates of UAE, culminated with a splendid event during their fourth anniversary at India Club, here on Friday  November 14.

 

The award for Best Lyricist was bestowed to Arthur Pereira, Omzoor (UAE), Best Singer Female was given to Preema D’Souza (UAE), while Best Singer Male award was bagged by Rony D’Cunha (Kuwait) and the album ‘Milan Mogachen’ by Lancy Henry Moras, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia won the title of Best Album.

 

In a laudable effort to promote Konkani music in the Gulf, Little Flowers Mukamar had instituted the unique ’Desert Konkani Music Awards.’ The awards, first announced 4 months ago are exclusively for Gulf-based artistes hailing from Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts - Konkani speaking denominations residing in the Gulf during the release of their albums. They are meant to encourage the Konkani people who reside in Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) countries to keep the flame of Konkani alive by their artistic contribution in the field of music.

 

While several applications/nominations received from all the GCC countries, the jurors, after careful scrutiny and much deliberation had shortlisted the top 3 nominees:

 

Best Lyricist: Late George Pinto, Aikal (Kuwait); Wilfred R Pangla, (Oman); and Arthur Pereira, Omzoor (UAE).

 

Best Singer Female: Rovina D’Souza (UAE); Preema D’Souza (UAE), and Nirmala Goveas (Sultanate of Oman).

 

Best Singer Male: Rony D’Cunha (Kuwait); Apolinaris D’Souza, (Sultanate of Oman); and Rathan Castelino,) (UAE)

 

Best Music Album: Vincent Fernandes, UAE (Album: Mogachi Lahran Vol-07); Gratian D’Souza, Kuwait (Album: Swapna Sundari); Lancy Henry Moras, KSA (Album: Milan Mogachen).

 

Among these Arthur Pereira, Omzoor (UAE), Preema D’Souza (UAE), Rony D’Cunha (Kuwait); and Lancy Henry Moras, KSA for the album ‘Milan Mogachen’ won the title of Best Lyricist, Best Female Singer, Best Male Singer and Best Album awards respectively.

 

Awards were conferred by LFM president Stephen Nazareth along with chief guests of the event, Walter D’Almeida, Michael D’Souza and Walter Nandalike in a glittering ceremony.

 

 

Speaking on the occasion, Michael Dsouza stressed the need of quality and variety in the Konkani albums, while Walter D’Almeida wished success for all the Konkani artistes and musicians.

 

Walter Nandalike praised LFM for their support for humanitarian and cultural causes. While he hailed it as one of the prominent associations in Dubai, striving to uphold the values of service to society by doing number of works aimed to help others, he applauded their gesture to support the Konkani artistes materialized through these unique Gulf Konkani Music Awards. He also exhorted them to continue conferring these awards annually or biennially.

 

The colorful event began with tephen Nazareth’s welcome address and lighting of the lamp.

 

With the enthusiastic members of the association singing the theme song of LFM the programme began to roll with gusto and fun at the hands of Dony and Asha who compered the event creatively keeping the audience glued like magicians using microphone for a wand.

 

All the participants and nominees and album producers whose applications were received for the title were felicitated. Joshal D’Souza who has represented UAE and won Gulf Voice of Mangalore title recently and Vincent Rodrigues who has represented UAE at the finals were also honored by the association. Ajith Peter D’Souza, who won four awards for his album ‘Tujye Vengenth’ in the fifth Konkani Global Music Awards by Mandd Sobhann was also felicitated at the event.

 

Music for the event was led by Arun Carlo and team while well known singers of UAE Preema, Maria, Joshal Sweeda D’Souza, Vincent Fernandes, Godwin D’Souza, Vincent Rodrigues, Lancy Noronha, Jackson D’Souza and Harish Sherigar kept the audience spell bound with their beautiful singing.

 

The Nominees, Nirmala Goveas (Sultanate of Oman), Gratian D’Souza (Kuwait), Lancy Henry Moras (KSA) and Apolinaris D’Souza (Sultanate of Oman) also rendered melodious songs at the request of the audience.

 

Award winner Rony D’Cunha (Kuwait) mesmerized the audiences with his foot-tapping numbers.  Everyone present enjoyed bollywood–style dance performance presented by Feat Beat Group, choreographed by Arun Lobo.

 

The multi-talented couple Asha and Dony correa were honored in a unique way at the event for their contribution towards music and drama.

 

While addressing the gathering, LFM advisor Dayan D’Souza, hailed the couple for their active involvement into number of cultural activities in Tulu, Kannada and Konkani. They were facilitated by James Mendonca, Harish Sherigar, Ashok Purohit, Walter Nandalike, Lancy Dsouza with mementos and public honor.

 

Acknowledging the honor, the couple thanked the organizers, well wishers and supporters and promised to continue their contribution to cultural activities. All the sponsors and media persons were felicitated with unique mementoes.

 

LFM made sure that all the ingredients were in place to make it the most enjoyed and memorable event. Sumptuous buffet was relished by all those who present, while the songs at the venue kept the entertainment mood soaring. The programme went on till evening, striking a right chord with the audience who witnessed the first ever Konkani Music Award ceremony in Gulf, implemented with passion by energetic members of the association to perfection.