Cha. Fra. D'Costa

Cha. Fra. D'Costa was a Konkani poet, dramatist and journalist.

Cha. Fra. D'Costa
Born	(1931-10-10) 10 October 1931 (age 93) Marnamikatta, Mangalore, India
Died	1992 (aged 61)[1]
Language	Konkani

Early life

Cha. Fra. was born in Mangalore on 10 October 1931 near Marnamikatta as the eldest of four children of Madthabai and Marcel D’Costa. He did his primary education in Cascia School and High School in Milagres School where the medium of instruction was English.^[2] He moved to Bombay in 1948 and worked in the Election Commission for the first general election of independent India. Later he became an employee of B.E.S.T.^[3]

Konkani journalism

He was also editor of Poinnari and later, after leaving Poinnari in 1959, Cha. Fra. D'Costa started Konkani periodicals such as Zag-mag, Vixal Konkonn (1961), Jivit (1983), and Udev (1976).^[4]

He was a playwright who revolutionized Konkani theatre with his one-act plays. His plays were at par with European plays, in their substance and content. Though, many of his plays were adapted, some of them were better than the original. The lyrical beauty of his dialogues gave the plays a unique status of high quality. Because he was a progressive thinker, he questioned established values of religion and the state, through all his creative artistic expressions. He was a playwright who revolutionized Konkani theatre with his one-act plays. His plays were at par with European plays, in their substance and content. Though, many of his plays were adapted, some of them were better than the original. The lyrical beauty of his dialogues gave the plays a unique status of high quality. Because he was a progressive thinker, he questioned established values of religion and the state, through all his creative artistic expressions.

Plays

1. Sobit Sounsar
2. Sunnem Mazor Hansta (One-Act)
3. Tomato (One-Act)
4. Vishenticho Bhav (One-Act)
5. Tornem Tornem Mornem (One-Act)
6. Poinnaryancho Mitr
7. Bhangar Monis
8. Jorji Buthel
9. Mankddacho Pai
10. Magirchem Magir
11. Boklaak Sat Ji:v
12. Kuvalyachi Val
13. Handdo uttla
14. Boncho Bandh
15. Dev Polleit Asa
16. Doro
17. Them Tho ani Hanv
18. Shirigundi Shimaon
19. Dakther Dusman
20. Jillacho Novro
21. Moja Puthacho Kinkulo
22. Rojik Kazar
23. Avnkwar Mesthri
24. Zuze Dayal
25. Macho

^[5][6][7]

Poetry

1. Sonshayche Kan

Awards

He won the Central Sahitya Akademi Award in 1989.^[8]