Who is Eric Ozario? Well -known Konkani Music Composer dies at 76 in Mangaluru

Eric Alexander Ozario, a groundbreaking figure in concani music and culture, died in Mangaluru on Friday, August 29 at the age of 76. According to his family, Eric underwent the treatment of kidney -related ailments. He is survived by his wife, Joyce, daughter, Dr Rashmi Kiran, and son Rithesh Kiran. Who was Eric Ozario? Eric Ozario is widely regarded as the ‘Gurkar’ of ‘Mandd Sobhann’, the cultural organization he founded in 1986 to promote Konkani Art and Heritage. Under his leadership, ‘Mandd Sobhann’ performed more than 2000 performances, produced more than 1,000 musical compositions and released 26 albums. His greatest achievement was ‘Niranthari’-a program with 1.711 singers out of 44 groups singing competitors for 40 hours continuously. This initiative, led by his brainchild, Kalanangann, was what got his beloved language in the record books. As a child in poverty-stricken Jeppu, Eric barely spoke Konkani. “When I tried, I was mocked by the higher classes,” he told the Times of India before. In the end, he eventually fought caste-related prejudice through his cultural work and was particularly scary in his criticism of the top strata of Mangaluru. “They only talk about purity, but do nothing for the language,” he said. His tireless advocacy also secured Konkani’s place in the curriculum by making it an optional topic in Karnataka schools. He said the goal is to create a world between ‘Christian music based largely, and Hindu music largely based on Indian’. Ozario also argued that concani music has an innate dance, and that culture without a dance form is not completed. “You are playing a dulpod, and a competitor will start dancing,” he said. He played a key role in the establishment of ‘Kalanangann’, an international concani Heritage Center in Mangaluru, which has become a pivot for cultural programs and research initiatives. A recipient of the Vishwa Konkani Kala Ratna Award, has made his efforts global recognition to concanded art through festivals such as the World Konkani Music Festival, Mandd Fest and the Global Konkani Music Awards. (With Pti inputs)