Veteran Konkani writer Gratian Pius D’Silva, 66, passes away

News Network
February 23, 2021

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Mangaluru, Feb 23: Veteran Konkani writer Gratian Pius D’Silva who was popular as Herolpius, passed away Monday night.

He was 67 and survived by his wife and two children.

He was a former Immigration Director of Mangaluru International Airport. Gratian had authored 10 novels, 170 short stories and about 200 poems. He had to his credit over 300 articles and 1200 humorous write-ups.

Gratian was the recipient of several awards including Goa Bhasha Mandal, Karnataka Konkani Sahitya Academy and Konkani Kutam Bahrain and Daiji Dubai Awards.

His four decades of assiduous and constant work makes him the ‘hidden giant’ of Konkani literature. He is one among the rare breed of Konkani writers whose work has been found worthwhile for translation into Kannada and Hindi languages.

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coastaldigest.com news network
December 2,2025

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Udupi, Dec 2: A wave of regional pride is sweeping through Udupi district as Shagun S Verma Hegde, a talented Class 9 student from Christ King English Medium High School, Karkala, has been named the captain of the Indian National Team for the Under-15 Girls’ Volleyball Championship.

Shagun holds the unique distinction of being the sole player from Karnataka selected to represent the country in the prestigious international tournament. The championship, organized by the School Games Federation, is scheduled to take place in Shangluo, China, from December 3 to 13, where Shagun will lead the national squad.

A Remarkable Journey to the Top

Shagun’s selection is a testament to her dedication and exceptional skill on the court. Her journey included several rigorous rounds of selection:

•    She was the only player from Udupi district to qualify for the state-level selection camp.

•    Out of eight players from Karnataka who advanced to the national selection camp in Pune, Maharashtra, Shagun was the only one to secure a place in the final national squad.

•    The national camp saw participation from approximately 200 players, which was shortlisted to 23. Shagun not only made the final cut but was also ranked as the second-best player overall, solidifying her leadership role.

Shagun, who is the daughter of Sandesh Verma and Shruthiraj of Kallotte, Karkala, has trained under experienced coaches Santosh D’Souza, Jeevan D’Silva, Jairaj Poojary, and Ramesh. Her selection as the team captain has brought profound honour to her family, school, the Udupi district, and the entire state of Karnataka.

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