Nagesh Karmali


Nagesh Ramdas Karmali was an Indian freedom fighter, poet, and writer from Goa. He was a prominent figure in the Goa liberation movement and is recognized for his literary contributions to the Konkani language, for which he received the Sahitya Akademi Award.

Early life and education

Karmali was born on 5 February 1933 in Kakoda, Quepem taluka, Portuguese Goa. His father was Ramdas Madhav Nayak Karmali. He received his primary education in Marathi and Portuguese. He developed a keen interest in literature during his childhood, influenced by the works of B. B. Borkar.

Goa Liberation Movement and activism

Karmali became actively involved in the struggle for Goa's independence from Portuguese rule. In 1952, he joined the Goa Vimochan Sahayak Samiti and participated in the Satyagraha movement. He was associated with the National Congress and worked to spread nationalist sentiment in southern Goa under the guidance of Anthony D'Souza.
On 16 September 1954, he entered Goa via the Terekhol border without a visa as part of a protest. He was arrested by the Portuguese police and sentenced to ten years of imprisonment by a military court. During his incarceration at Reis Magos and Aguada forts, he continued his literary pursuits and studied the history of freedom struggles. He was released in 1959 after serving approximately four and a half years of his sentence. Following his release, he continued to work underground for the liberation of Goa until 1961.
Following the liberation, Karmali participated in the Goa Opinion Poll of 1967, advocating against the merger of Goa with Maharashtra. He later served as the president of the Goa Freedom Fighters Association.

Career and literary work

After the Liberation of Goa, Karmali worked as a 'Staff Artist' at the All India Radio station in Panaji from 1966 until his retirement in 1991. He was also involved in the labour movement in 1962.
As a writer, Karmali contributed significantly to Konkani literature. His notable poetry collections include Jot, Zonvar, and Vamshkullache Dene. In 1992, he was awarded the Sahitya Akademi Award for his collection Vamshkullache Dene. He also adapted plays such as Kelu Janmejaya by Sriranga and Adhe Adhure by Mohan Rakesh into Konkani. He served in various capacities within the Konkani Bhasha Mandal, was a member of the Goa Konkani Academy, and presided over the 13th Konkani Sahitya Parishad. Additionally, he worked on the editorial board of the Goa Gazetteer and the biography project for Goan freedom fighters.

Death

Karmali died on 9 February 2023 at his home in Panaji, Goa, at the age of 90.

Awards and recognition

Karmali's literary work has been recognized with several honors: