Mangaluru: The English translation of “Gondolu and Two Other Plays of Amrutha Someshwara”, translated from Tulu by Sylvia Rego, Professor of English at St Aloysius University, was formally released at a special programme held at Sanidhya Hall on the university campus.
The book release was organised by the Karnataka Tulu Sahitya Academy in collaboration with the School of Languages and Culture and the Department of English, St Aloysius University. The event marked an important milestone in taking Tulu theatre to a wider global readership through English translation.
Celebrating Tulu theatre in translation
The volume features English translations of three well-known Tulu plays by Amrutha Someshwara — Gondolu, Satyanapura Siri, and Raayaravute. The book was released by Prof. B. A. Viveka Rai, former President of the Tulu Sahitya Academy, who lauded the translator’s contribution towards the preservation and global dissemination of regional literature.
A distinguished translator’s contribution
Dr Sylvia Rego is widely recognised for her extensive work in translating regional literature into English. Her major translations include The Tree Spirit and Other Konkani Folk Tales, Fakir’s Daughter and Other Beary Folk Tales, and Ten Houses around the Church, the English translation of a novel by Na. D’Souza. She has also translated three plays of Cha. Fra. D’Costa from Konkani into English and rendered Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll’s House into Konkani, reflecting her deep engagement with multilingual literary traditions.
Focus on Tulu culture and academic growth
Presiding over the programme, Rev. Dr Praveen Martis, Vice-Chancellor of St Aloysius University, spoke about the richness of Tulu culture and highlighted the significance of the newly established Department of Tulu at the University. He noted that academic initiatives such as this book release strengthen the institutional commitment to regional languages and cultural studies.
Prof. Viveka Rai, in his address, stressed the urgent need to translate more Tulu literary works into English to enable their global reach. He also suggested the establishment of a dedicated Centre for Translation Studies at St Aloysius University to promote systematic and scholarly translation work.
Eminent scholars in attendance
The programme was attended by several noted scholars and literary figures, including Rev. Dr William Da’ Silva, Taranath Gatti Kapikad, Dr Mahalinga Bhat, Dean of the School of Languages and Cultural Studies, Dr Melissa Goveas, Head of the Department of English, Muddu Moodabellé, Dr Chetan Someshwara, Dr Chinnappa Gowda, and other academicians and students.
Strengthening regional literature’s global presence
The release of “Gondolu and Two Other Plays of Amrutha Someshwara” was widely appreciated as a meaningful step towards preserving Tulu dramatic traditions while making them accessible to a global audience. The event reaffirmed the role of universities and literary academies in nurturing regional languages through research, translation, and cultural engagement.
