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{{Short description|Indian writer (1931–1992)}}
{{Use Indian English|date=June 2017}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2017}}
{{infobox writer
| name = C. F. D'Costa
| image = Cha Fra DCosta.png
| alt =
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| pseudonym =
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{birth date|1931|10|10|df=y}}
| birth_place = Marnamikatta, [[Mangalore]], [[India]]
| death_date = 1992 (aged 61)<ref>{{harvnb|Sardesai|2000|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=1YILeUD_oZUC&pg=PA275 275]}}</ref>
| death_place =
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| language = [[Konkani language|Konkani]]
| nationality =
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| education =
| alma_mater =
| period =
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| notableworks = ''Soshyache Kan''
| spouse =
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| awards = [[Sahitya Akademi Award]] (1989)
| signature =
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}}

'''Charles Francis D'Costa''' (10 October 1931 – 1992), popularly known as '''Cha. Fra. D'Costa''' (or '''Cha. Fra.'''), was a Konkani poet, dramatist, and journalist from [[Mangalore]].

==Early life==
Charles Francis D'Costa was born in [[Mangalore]] on 10 October 1931 in the Rosario area (near Marnamikatta) as the eldest of four children of Madthabai and Marcel D’Costa.<ref name="Vishwakosh1999">{{cite wikisource |last1=Navelkar |first1=V. R. |editor-first1=Tanaji |editor-last1=Halarnkar |editor-link1=Tanaji Halarnkar |others= |title=Konkani Vishwakosh |trans-title=Konkani Encyclopaedia |wslink=Page:Konkani Viswakosh Vol1.pdf/462 |type= |edition= |series= |pages=462 |volume=1 |year=1999 |publisher=[[Goa University]] |location=Goa |language=gom |wslanguage=gom }}</ref> He did his primary education at St. John the Baptist School in Cascia and high school studies at Milagres High School.<ref name="Vishwakosh1999" /><ref>[https://www.scribd.com/doc/40745036/Works-of-Cha-Fra-a-Study-UGC-Project-Report-by-Anil-Pinto-2008 Pinto, Anil. Works of Cha. Fra.: A Study]</ref> He left his formal studies in 1948.<ref name="Vishwakosh1999" />

He moved to Bombay in 1948 and worked in the Election Commission for the first general election of independent India. Later he became an employee of B.E.S.T.<ref>[https://www.scribd.com/doc/40745036/Works-of-Cha-Fra-a-Study-UGC-Project-Report-by-Anil-Pinto-2008 Pinto, Anil. Works of Cha. Fra.: A Study]</ref>

==Career==
===Journalism===
D'Costa began his writing career in the early days contributing to the paper ''Poinnari'', which was edited by [[V. J. P. Saldanha]].<ref name="Vishwakosh1999" /> He later served as the editor of ''Poinnari'' around 1959.<ref name="Vishwakosh1999" /> After leaving ''Poinnari'' in 1959, Cha. Fra. D'Costa started Konkani periodicals such as ''Zag-mag'' (1956), ''Vixal Konkonn'' (1961), ''Jivit'' (1983), and ''Udev'' (1976).<ref name="Vishwakosh1999" /><ref>{{cite web | url=http://tskk.org/content_disp.php?id=93 | title=A Brief History of Konknni Periodicals:Thomas Stephens Konknni Kendr | access-date=6 January 2011 | archive-date=28 July 2011 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110728131727/http://tskk.org/content_disp.php?id=93 | url-status=dead }}</ref> As of 1999, he was the editor of ''Jivit''.<ref name="Vishwakosh1999" />
While most of his writing was in the [[Kannada script]], he also contributed to [[Devanagari]] periodicals such as ''Rashtramat'', ''Sunaparant'', and ''Kulagar''.<ref name="Vishwakosh1999" />

===Literature and Theatre===
He was a playwright who revolutionized Konkani theatre with his one-act plays. His plays were at par with European plays, in their substance and content. Though, many of his plays were adapted, some of them were better than the original. The lyrical beauty of his dialogues gave the plays a unique status of high quality. Because he was a progressive thinker, he questioned established values of religion and the state, through all his creative artistic expressions. His writings often utilized satire, irony, and humour to highlight flaws in society.<ref name="Vishwakosh1999" />
His plays have been performed in [[Goa]], [[Mangalore]], [[Mumbai]], and the Gulf countries.<ref name="Vishwakosh1999" /> Several of his works originally in the Kannada script, such as ''Sunnem Mazor Hansta'', ''Tornem Tornem Mornem'', and ''Soshyache Kan'', have been transliterated into the Devanagari script.<ref name="Vishwakosh1999" />

===Activism and Music===
D'Costa was instrumental in the establishment of the Mangalore Konkani Bhasha Mandal.<ref name="Vishwakosh1999" /> He served as the President of the 9th All India Konkani Writer's Conference held in [[Sanquelim]] in 1987.<ref name="Vishwakosh1999" />
His lyrics were featured in the musical program ''Mand Sobhan'', which became popular from Mangalore to Goa. His songs were released on cassettes titled ''Rang Tarang'' and ''Mand Sobhan''.<ref name="Vishwakosh1999" />

== Works ==
=== Plays ===
# Sobit Sounsar (1955)<ref name="Vishwakosh1999" />
# Sunnem Mazor Hansta (One-Act, 1977)<ref name="Vishwakosh1999" />
# Tomato (One-Act)
# Vishenticho Bhav (One-Act)
# Tornem Tornem Mornem (Drama, 1973)<ref name="Vishwakosh1999" />
# Poinnaryancho Mitr
# Bhangar Monis
# Jorji Buthel
# Mankddacho Pai
# Magirchem Magir
# Boklaak Sat Ji:v
# Kuvalyachi Val
# Handdo uttla
# Boncho Bandh
# Dev Polleit Asa
# Doro
# Them Tho ani Hanv
# Shirigundi Shimaon
# Dakther Dusman
# Jillacho Novro
# Moja Puthacho Kinkulo
# Rojik Kazar
# Avnkwar Mesthri (1957)<ref name="Vishwakosh1999" />
# Zuze Dayal
# Macho
<ref>{{Cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1YILeUD_oZUC&q=History+of+Konkani+Literature |title = A History of Konkani Literature: From 1500 to 1992|isbn = 9788172016647|last1 = Saradesāya|first1 = Manohararāya|year = 2000| publisher=Sahitya Akademi }}</ref><ref>Stella’ D’Costa, Edited works of Cha. Fra</ref><ref>D’Sliva, Victor. Cha Fra D’Costa. Mangalore: Karnataka Konkani Sahitya Academy, 2000</ref>

=== Stories and Biographies ===
# ''Melle'' (Story, 1949)<ref name="Vishwakosh1999" />
# ''Poinnaryancho Ixtt'' (Biography, 1954)<ref name="Vishwakosh1999" />

=== Poetry ===
# Sonshayche Kan (published between 1986–88)<ref name="Vishwakosh1999" />

== Awards ==
He won the Central [[Sahitya Akademi Award]] in 1989 for his poetry collection ''Soshyache Kan''.<ref name="Vishwakosh1999" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=..:: SAHITYA : Akademi Awards ::.. |url=https://sahitya-akademi.gov.in/awards/akademi%20samman_suchi.jsp |access-date=2025-12-18 |website=sahitya-akademi.gov.in}}</ref>

==Citations==
{{reflist}}

==References==
*{{Cite book
|last=Sardesai
|first=Manohar Rai
|authorlink=Manohar Rai Sardesai
|title=A History of Konkani Literature: From 1500 to 1992
|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1YILeUD_oZUC
|isbn=81-7201-664-6
|publisher=Sahitya Akademi
|location=New Delhi
|pages=336
|date=1 January 2000

|access-date=2011-11-20}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:D'Costa, C> F.}}
[[Category:1931 births]]
[[Category:1992 deaths]]
[[Category:Konkani people]]
[[Category:Writers from Mangalore]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Sahitya Akademi Award in Konkani]]
[[Category:Konkani-language poets]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian poets]]
[[Category:Indian male poets]]
[[Category:Poets from Karnataka]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian male writers]]

C. F. D'Costa - Revision history

SnehAnchliya at 09:59, 2 January 2026