Reginaldo (Reginald) Fernandes

Reginaldo "Reginald" Fernandes (14 June 1914 – 13 November 1994) was an Indian writer, musician and cultural figure active in Goan Konkani music. He was known for having written a vast number of Konkani romans novels, over a hundred in number. He has been called the "King of Konkani Fiction".

Career Fernandes was active for many decades in the world of the Konkani romans, his career spanning over six decades. His first novel was published in 1932, and the last one, called Perdida, made it to the stands in 1994. His first novel was Lindorf.

He sold up to 5000 copies of his books, according to news reports, and some were reprinted; yet "the pundits of the Konkani language did not find any merit in his literature, probably because it was written in the Roman script."

Claim on large body of work There is some disagreement on how many novels and novellas Fernandes actually wrote, the number ranging from more than a hundred to 190. During his 101st birth centenary celebrations in June 2015, it was noted that he had written some 190 Konkani novels, besides being an accomplished musician, lyricist and playwright.

Impact and response According to The Times of India though he "wrote extensively in Romi Konkani [but]...is virtually unknown to the younger generation as little effort was made to recognise him and his works".

Tributes

Venita Gomes, writing in The Navhind Times Buzz has stated:

One of Goa’s finest and prolific Roman Konkani writers, popularly known as Romanxincho Patxai (King of Fiction), Reginald Fernandes, has written over 200 novels creating a lasting impression on the minds of innumerable readers.

Related trivia

Reginald Fernandes hailed from the village of Siolim in Goa, where his work and life is often remembered in recent times, especially during his anniversaries. He is known for his violin, and owned a trumpet autographed by the noted Jazz musician Louis Armstrong. During recent commemorative events of his life, a little table where he wrote most of his many romanses was also sometimes displayed. Reginald is credited with playing his "golden trumpet" for the band Rose Buds run by the noted Konkani singer and composer Alfred Rose. Siolim and its environs has a group called The Friends of Reginald. Many books authored by Goans are lost to time and poor protection. But Brazinho Soares, a collector of Konkani books published from many of the past decades, has at least 96 out-of-print potboilers and other memorabilia connected with Reginald, as of June 2015. Reginald would write novels with their titles named in subsequent alphabetical order, from A-to-Z, according to former president of the Dalgado Konknni Akademi, Tomazinho Cardozo. As a lyricist, Fernandes contributed to some memorable Konkani songs, both aired on the Emissora de Goa Portuguese-run radio station, as well as the All India Radio, which has operated in Goa after 1961. His songs were sung by Allen Costa, Ansu Rodrigues, Georgina Jacques and Johny Sylvester, who were permanent artistes of the Emissora de Goa radio station. He is known to have composed solos, duets, trios, mandos and dulpods, the last two being traditional Goan songs. His most popular is the farewell Konkani evergreen hit Adeus Korchea Vellar (Now is the Time to Say Goodbye). Reginal Fernandes is credited with having penned some 100 songs set them to music. He wrote and presented many great tiatrs' (traditional Konkani songs) with the greats of the Konkani stage.