The organisation was founded by the late Madhav Manjunath Shanbhague of Kumta, Karnataka, on 8 July 1939.
It shifted to Goa, the homeland of Konkani, in 1961 when the territory was liberated from Portuguese rulers.
At present, it functions from Goa as the national apex body to which 16 regional/local associations are affiliated and works for the development of Konkani language, literature, culture, education, etc.
Katre, and intellectuals like Kakasaheb Kalelkar and prominent litterateurs of various languages of the country.
It identified and deliberated on the various problems related to the development of the language and prepared strategies for solving them.