Manuel D'Lima

Manuel J. D'Lima (c. 1934 – October 2016) was an Indian playwright, theatre director, and musician known for his work in tiatr productions and radio plays, and also a banker. He began his career in his hometown of Porvorim, Goa. Following his move to Santacruz, Bombay, D'Lima began to produce commercial theatre productions. Later, he began to write radio plays and skits on All India Radio, Bombay. A former member of the Goan cover band The Syndicate, D'Lima became known mainly for his religious plays that he staged during the Lent season in Goa or Bombay. D'Lima is one of the early writers of religious tiatrs that were staged in the mid-1970s.

Early life
D'Lima was born in around 1934 in the town of Porvorim, in the colony of Goa, which was then part of Portuguese India (now located in India). He initially began his stage career in his home region writing and staging Konkani tiatrs, a form of musical theatre indigenous to Goa. These productions found an audience in Porvorim.

Introduction to theatre and radio in Bombay, British India
D'Lima then moved to Bombay, British India (now Mumbai, India), a metropolis known for its vibrant entertainment industry. There he presented his first major tiatr, Ek Oklek Don Noure (The Bride With Two Bridegrooms), in support of Socorro-Union, a type of social club in Socorro, Goa. D'Lima also began work with All India Radio, the state-owned public radio broadcaster in Bombay, India. On this platform, also known as Akashvani, he wrote approximately 100 small playlets and radio comedy skits.

Subsequent theatre work
D'Lima staged Christian religious plays in the mid-1970s. Although predominantly biblical in nature and tied to the season of Lent, these productions aimed to inspire introspection, contemplation, and personal transformation among their audiences. Collaborations among D'Lima and other performers within the Konkani theatre community included Cyriaco Dias, a Konkani actor and playwright, who played Jesus Christ in D'Lima's religious tiatr Soddvondar (The Deliverer). The same tiatr production was later performed in Panjim, Goa, featuring Dioguinho D'Mello in his final acting performance.

Collaborating with popular actors from the Konkani stage, he began to write a series of up to seven larger-scale tiatrs productions. These include Europi Saukar (European Government), Shakuntala, Bism Saib (The Bishop), Milagr (The Miracle), Khorkhos Ostori, Soddvondar, and Quo Vadis? (Where are you going?).

The Syndicate band and tiatr contracts (1980s–2000s)
D'Lima was involved in the Goan music scene as a member of the popular 1980s cover band known as The Syndicate, formed in 1979. The Syndicate disbanded around the year 2002.

D'Lima then entered into a partnership with fellow artist Santan Rodricks. They initially accepted tiatr producing contracts under the pseudonym "Lima-San." D'Lima was one of the early tiatr contractors operating in Bombay in the 1980s and 1990s, but during this period, D'Lima shifted his focus from writing and directing tiatrs to banking and managing tiatr contracts.

D'Lima worked in the banking industry for the majority of his working life. His work at Bank of India ultimately led to his decision to discontinue theatre work.

Death
In October 2016, he died at his home located in Santacruz. He was around 81–82 years old.