Leela Majumdar

Infobox Person
name = Leela Majumdar


image_size =
caption =
birth_date = February 26 1908Ray, Prasadranjan, "Remembering Lila Majumadar, Mejopishi, As I Saw Her", Times of Indian Kolkata edition, April 8 2007. ]
birth_place =
death_date = April 5 2007, age 99
death_place = Kolkata, West Bengal, India
occupation = Author of children's books
spouse = Sudhir Kumar Majumdar

Leela Majumdar ( _bn. লীলা মজুমদার "Lila Mojumdar"), (February 26 1908 – April 5 2007) was a Bengali writer.

Early life

Born to Surama Devi and Pramada Ranjan Ray [younger brother of Upendra Kishor Ray Choudhuri, Leela spent her childhood days at Shillong, where she studied at the Loreto Convent. In 1919, her father was transferred to Calcutta, and she joined St. John’s Diocesan School from where she passed her matriculation examination. She ranked second among the girls in the matriculation examinations in 1924. She stood first in English (literature) both in her honours (graduation) and Master of Arts examination at the University of Calcutta. The family she belonged to made a notable contribution towards children's literature. " The beyond beckons Lila Majumdar", "The Statesman", April 6 2007] "Shri Lila Majumdar (1908-2007) ", "Ananda Bazar Patrika" Bn icon, April 6 2007] Sunil Gangopadhyay says that while the Tagore family enthused everybody with drama, songs and literature for adults, the Ray Chaudhuri family took charge of laying the foundations of children's literature in Bengali.Sunil Gangopadhyay, "Riju, Sabalil Bhasa, Tate Agagora Snighdha Ras", "Ananda Bazar Patrika" Bn icon, April 6 2007]

Formative years

She joined Maharani Girls' School at Darjeeling as a teacher in 1931. On an invitation from Rabindranath Tagore she went and joined the school at Santiniketan, but she stayed for about one year only. She joined the women's section of Asutosh College in Calcutta but again did not continue for long. Thereafter, she spent most of her time as a writer. After two decades as a writer, she joined All India Radio as a producer and worked for about seven-eight years.

Her first story, "Lakkhichhara", was published in "Sandesh" in 1922. It was also illustrated by her. The children's magazine in Bengali was founded by her uncle, Upendrakishore Ray Chaudhuri in 1913 and was edited by her cousin Sukumar Ray for sometime after the death of Upendrakishore in 1915.cite web
url = http://www.andhracafe.com/index.php?m=show&id=21267
title = "Children's writer Leela Majumdar dies"
accessdate = 2007-04-06
last =
first =
work =
publisher =andhracafe.com] Together with her nephew Satyajit Ray and her cousin Nalini Das, she edited and wrote for "Sandesh" throughout her active writing life. "Children’s tales never outgrown", "The Telegraph", 6 April 2007] Until 1994 she played an active role in the publication of the magazine.cite web
url = http://www.telegraphindia.com/1070226/asp/calcutta/story_7440754.asp
title = "Splendid centurion - Darling of the young and young at heart reaches age milestone"
accessdate = 2007-04-06
last =
first =
work =
publisher = "The Telegraph", 26 February 2007 ]

Creative efforts

An incomplete bibliography lists 125 books including a collection of short stories, five books under joint authorship, 9 translated books and 19 edited books. Her first published book was "Boddi Nather Bari" (1939) but her second compilation "Din Dupure" (1948) brought her considerable fame From the 1950s, her incomparable children's classics followed. Although humour was her forte, she also wrote detective stories, ghost stories and fantasies.

Her autobiographical sketch "Pakdandi" provides an insight into her childhood days in Shillong and also her early years at Santiniketan and with All India Radio.

Apart from her glittering array of children's literature, she wrote a cookbook, novels for adults ("Sreemoti", "Cheena Lanthan"), and a biography of Rabindranath Tagore. She lectured on Abanindranath Tagore and translated his writings on art into English. She translated Jonathan Swift's "Gulliver's Travels" and Ernest Hemingway's "The Old Man and the Sea" into Bengali.

Satyajit Ray had thought of filming "Podi Pishir Bormi Baksho" Arundhati Devi made it into a film in 1972. Chhaya Devi played the role of the young hero, Khoka's famed aunt Podipishi.cite web
url = http://www.upperstall.com/chhayadevi.html
title = Chhaya Devi (1914-2001)
accessdate = 2007-04-06
last =
first =
work =
publisher =upperstall.com]

For a special Mahila Mahal (women's section) series of All-India Radio, dealing with the “natural and ordinary problems” in the everyday life of a girl growing up in a typical, middle-class, Bengali family, she created "Monimala", the story of a “very ordinary girl” whose grandmother starts writing to her from when she turns 12, continuing into her marriage and motherhood. cite web
url = http://www.telegraphindia.com/1070308/asp/opinion/story_7484392.asp
title = "Seize The Day, And Just Get On With Things"
accessdate = 2007-04-06
last =
first =
work =
publisher = "The Telegraph", 8 March 2007 ]

Family

She was married to Sudhir Kumar Mazumdar renowned dentist, in 1933. For two decades she devoted herself to housekeeping. Her son Ranjan and daughter Kamala were born in 1934 and 1938 respectively. Her husband died in 1984. Apart from her children, she had, at the time of her death, two grandsons, two granddaughters and three great-grandchildren.

Works

"Holde Pakhir Palok", "Tong Ling", "Maaku", "Podi Pishir Bormi Baksho", "Boddi Nather Bari", "Din Dupure", "Chhotoder Srestho Galpo", "Monimala", "Bagher Chhokh", "Bok Dharmik", "Taka Gaachh", "Lal Neel Deslai", "Basher Phul", "Moyna", "Shalikh", "Sob Bhuture", "Bhuter Bari", "Aaguni Beguni", "Tipur Upor Tipuni", "Patka Chor", "Aashare Galpo", "Chiching Phank", "Je Jai Boluk", "Chhotoder Tal Betal", "Batash Bari", "Bagh Shikari Bamun", "Baghyar Galpo", "Shibur Diary", "Howrahr Dari", "Ferari", "Nepor Doi", "Aar Konokhane", "Kheror Khata", "Ei Je Dekha", "Pakdandi","Sreemoti", "Cheena Lanthan","Moni Manil", "Naatghar", "Batashbari", "Kaag Noi", "Shob Bhuture".cite web
url =http://www.bharatbooks.com/bengali_authors/lila_majumdar.htm
title =Bharat Books
accessdate = 2007-04-06
last =
first =
work =
publisher =Bharat Books & Arts] "Bak Badh Pala".Her autobiographical work aar konokhane(আর কোনোখানে) was much acclaimed.

Awards

"Holde Pakhir Palok" won the state award for children’s literature, "Bak Badh Pala" the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award, "Aar Konokhane" Rabindra Puraskar. She had also won the Suresh Smriti Puraskar, Vidyasagar Puraskar, Bhubaneswari Medal for life-time achievement, and Ananda Puraskar. She has been awarded the Deshikottama by Visva Bharati, and honorary D.Litt. by Burdwan, North Bengal and Calcutta Universities.

References

Persondata
NAME= Leela Majumdar
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=
SHORT DESCRIPTION= Author of children’s books
DATE OF BIRTH=26 February 1908
PLACE OF BIRTH= Kolkata
DATE OF DEATH=5 April 2007
PLACE OF DEATH= Kolkata