Rons Bantwal
Daijiworld Media Network – Mumbai (MS)
Mumbai, Sep 15: Shimunje Parari, a venerable figure in literature, drama, and education, passed away at the age of 84 on Sunday, September 15, in the morning at his residence in New Chandra Housing Society, Jeevan Nagar, Andheri West.
Known off the stage as Seetharama Muddanna Shetty, Parari was a multifaceted personality celebrated for his work as a poet, translator, dramatist, lecturer, dubbing artiste, and actor. He is survived by his wife, Chandrika Shetty, and their children, Archana Shetty and Aparna Shetty.
Parari was renowned for his translations of Marathi, Gujarati, and Hindi literature into Tulu and Kannada. He notably adapted Marathi dramas such as "Yaan Pinaye," "Avulorti Mulorti," and "Jokulu Balelu" into Tulu, while also translating various works into Kannada. His dedication to making literature accessible was evident in his distribution of 30,000 short poems in Tulu, under the title "Yaan Panpini Incha," which he provided freely to Tulu-speaking communities in Mumbai.
In addition to his literary contributions, Parari was a prominent actor, featuring in productions like "Guddada Bhoota" by Sundaranath Suvarna and "Ghatashraddha" by Girish Kasaravalli. His play "Jokulu Balelu" earned him the Tulu Sahitya Academy Award, and he was honoured with the Vayo Samman-2023 award by Ilesa The Voice of Ocean last year.
Parari’s contributions were further recognised by the Kannada section of Mumbai University and the Shimunje Parari Felicitation Committee Mumbai, which honoured him with a congratulatory book titled "Sampreeti," edited by Dr Poornima Sudhakar Shetty and honorary editor Dr G N Upadhya.
Tributes have poured in from across the community, including Praveen Bhoja Shetty, president of the Bunts Association Mumbai; CA Surendra K. Shetty, president of the Bombay Bunts Association; and lawyer Kadandale Parari Prakash L Shetty, among others.
Shimunje Parari's passing is a notable loss to the fields of literature, drama, and education, but his enduring legacy will continue to inspire future generations.