Mangalore : The Mangalorean pair of Gavin Rodrigues and Vaishnavi Pavithran won the first place in the duel category in the finals of the Yaya Ind-Ya Mayaya, the first all-India Konkani dance contest, held at Kalaangann here on May 19, Sunday. It was a double joy for Mangalore, when the citys dance troupe, Silver Steppers from Bejai won the top honors in the group category of the event. The duet category winners walked away with a cash prize of Rs 50,000 while the group category winners bagged a cash prize of Rs 2 lakhs. The winners were also awarded trophies, gift hampers and certificates. The superb dance performances by five of the teams which qualified for the finals, left the audience spell-bound.
In the duet category, Pavinta Monteiro and Puneeth Monteiro from Kasargod were the first runners-up followed by Nayana Prasanna Prabhu and Shwetha Bilgikar, Kumta, Honnavar and Akash Telgu and Aaditi Morajkar, Goa who bagged the second and third runner-up spot respectively.
In the group category, Drastic Art Centre, Bangalore received the second runners-up title followed by Adwitiya Dance Company, Vasai, Mumbai, Team Kayyar from Kasargod and Nayana Prasanna & party, Kumta, Honnavar.
Ronald Colaco, NRI entrepreneur and philanthropist, gave away prizes to the winners. The newly elected Mangalore South MLA JR Lobo was felicitated on this occasion by Colaco.
Eric Ozario, Gurkar of Mandd Sobhann,Fr Vincent D’Souza, parish priest of Bela, Ronald Mendonca, Chairman of Governing Council, Kalangann, Stany Alvares, president of Mandd Sobhann, Roy Castelino, President of Konkani Prachar Sanchalan, Avil D’Cruz of Nach Sobhann and others were present on the occasion.