B B Borkar

Balakrishna Bhagwant Borkar, also known as Bakibab Borkar, was a spectacular lyricist, poet, and essayist, born on 30 November 1910 in Goa, India. His mother tongue was Konkani, but from his works, we can see that he was fluent in Konkani and Marathi. He was also well versed in Hindi, English, and Portuguese. He completed his education from Dharwad, Karnataka through Marathi and English medium. He later qualified for the exam held by the Portuguese Teachers’ Training College and established himself as a teacher. He worked in Askashvani (All India Radio) till the time he gained retirement, and as an editor for two newspapers, Aamcha Gomantak and Porjecho Aawaz.

His phenomenal literary work instilled feelings of patriotism in the people of Goa, and sparked a sense of nationalism during the Goa Liberation Movement. He was honored with the Padma Shri Award in 1967 and the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1981. His first poem compilation, Pratibha, gained immense fame and marked his journey to becoming a renowned personality. He went on to write numerous poems which picked up a lyrical style. As a result, he embarked on his journey to establish himself as a lyricist. ‘Ananta Tula Kon Pahu’, ‘Aata Visavyache Kshan’, and ‘Kashi Tuj Samajavu Sang’ are some songs is showcased. A creative, skilled personality embodied in a person is what he proved himself to be as he left for his heavenly abode on 8 July 1984.