ElenaEbersbacher at 04:35, 29 April 2026

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{{Short description|Indian writer (1908–2007)}}
{{Use British English|date=August 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2026}}
{{Infobox writer
| name = Leela Majumdar
| image = LeelaMajumdarPic.jpg
| image_size =
| caption =
| birth_date = {{birth date|1908|02|26|df=y}}<ref name = "Times">Ray, Prasadranjan, ''Remembering Lila Majumadar, Mejopishi, As I Saw Her'', Times of Indian Kolkata edition, 8 April 2007.</ref>
| birth_place = [[Calcutta]], [[Bengal Presidency]], [[British India]]
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2007|04|05|1908|02|26|df=y}}
| death_place = [[Kolkata]], [[West Bengal]], [[India]]
| occupation = Writer
| period = 1922–1994
| genre = Children's books
| spouse = {{marriage|Sudhir Kumar Majumdar|1934|1984|reason=died}}
| children = 2
}}

'''Leela Majumdar''' ({{IPA|bn|lila mod͡ʒumdar}}; née '''Ray'''; 26 February 1908<ref name = "Times"/> – 5 April 2007) was an Indian [[Bengali language|Bengali]]-language writer.

==Early life==
Born to Surama Devi and Pramada Ranjan Ray (who was the younger brother of [[Upendrakishore Ray|Upendra Kishor Ray Choudhuri]]), Leela spent her childhood days at [[Shillong]], where she studied at the Loreto Convent.<ref name = "Statesman"/> Surama Devi had been adopted by Upendra Kishor Ray Choudhuri. Lila's grandfather had left his younger two daughters in care of his friends after his wife died. The eldest daughter was sent to a boarding house. Her maternal grandfather was Ramkumar Bhattacharya, who later became a sannyasi and was christened Ramananda Bharati. He was the first among Indians to visit Kailash and Mansarovar and wrote a travelogue ''Himaranya''. In 1919, her father was transferred to Calcutta, and she joined St. John's Diocesan School from where she completed her matriculation examination.<ref name = "Times"/> She ranked second among the girls in the matriculation examinations in 1924. She stood first in [[English studies|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.<ref name = "Statesman">'' The beyond beckons Lila Majumdar'', ''The Statesman'', 6 April 2007</ref><ref name = "AnandaBazar">''Shri Lila Majumdar (1908–2007) '', ''Ananda Bazar Patrika'' {{in lang|bn}}, 6 April 2007</ref> [[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.<ref name = "Sunil">Sunil Gangopadhyay, ''Riju, Sabalil Bhasa, Tate Agagora Snighdha Ras'', ''Ananda Bazar Patrika'' {{in lang|bn}}, 6 April 2007</ref>

==Formative years==
She joined Maharani Girls' School at Darjeeling as a teacher in 1931.<ref name = "Statesman"/> On an invitation from [[Rabindranath Tagore]] she went and joined the school at [[Santiniketan]], but she stayed only for about one year. She joined the women's section of [[Asutosh College]] in [[Kolkata|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.<ref name = "AnandaBazar"/>

Her first story, ''Lakhi Chele'', was published in ''[[Sandesh (magazine)|Sandesh]]'' in 1922. It was also illustrated by her.<ref name = "Statesman"/> The children's magazine in Bengali was founded by her uncle, Upendra Kishore Ray Chaudhuri in 1913 and was later edited by her cousin [[Sukumar Ray]] for some time after the death of Upendra Kishore in 1915.<ref name = "andhracafe">{{cite web
| url = http://www.andhracafe.com/index.php?m=show&id=21267
| title = ''Children's writer Leela Majumdar dies''
| access-date = 6 April 2007
| last =
| first =
| publisher = andhracafe.com
| archive-date = 13 May 2008
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080513032204/http://www.andhracafe.com/index.php?m=show&id=21267
| url-status = dead
}}</ref> Together with her nephew [[Satyajit Ray]] and her cousin Nalini Das, she edited and wrote for ''Sandesh'' throughout her active writing life.<ref name = "Telegraph">''Children's tales never outgrown'', ''The Telegraph'', 6 April 2007</ref> Until 1994 she played an active role in the publication of the magazine.<ref>{{cite news
| url = http://www.telegraphindia.com/1070226/asp/calcutta/story_7440754.asp
| archive-url = https://archive.today/20130105093841/http://www.telegraphindia.com/1070226/asp/calcutta/story_7440754.asp
| url-status = dead
| archive-date = 5 January 2013
| title = ''Splendid centurion – Darling of the young and young at heart reaches age milestone''
| access-date = 6 April 2007
| last =
| first =
| work =
| publisher = The Telegraph, 26 February 2007
| location=Calcutta, India
| date=26 February 2007
}}</ref>

==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.<ref name = "Times"/>

Her first published book was ''Boddi Nather Bari'' (1939) but her second compilation ''Din Dupere'' (1948) brought her considerable fame from the 1950s, her incomparable children's classics followed. Although humor was her forte, she also wrote detective stories, ghost stories and fantasies.<ref name = "Times"/>

Her autobiographical sketch ''Pak Dandi'' provides an insight into her childhood days in Shillong and also her early years at Santiniketan and with All India Radio.<ref name = "Statesman"/>

Apart from her glittering array of children's literature, she wrote a cookbook, novels for adults (''Sreemoti'', ''Cheena Lathan''), 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.<ref name = "Telegraph"/>

Satyajit Ray had thought of filming ''Podi Pishir Bormi Baksho''.<ref name = "Sunil"/> [[Arundhati Devi]] made it into the film ''[[Padi Pishir Barmi Baksha]]'' in 1972. [[Chhaya Devi]] played the role of the young hero, Khoka's famed aunt Padipishi.<ref>{{cite web
| url = http://www.upperstall.com/chhayadevi.html
| title = Chhaya Devi (1914–2001)
| access-date = 6 April 2007
| last =
| first =
| publisher =upperstall.com
}}</ref>

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 ''Manimala'', the story of a "very ordinary girl" whose grandmother starts writing to her from when she turns 12, continuing into her marriage and motherhood.<ref>{{cite news
| url = http://www.telegraphindia.com/1070308/asp/opinion/story_7484392.asp
| archive-url = https://archive.today/20130204021150/http://www.telegraphindia.com/1070308/asp/opinion/story_7484392.asp
| url-status = dead
| archive-date = 4 February 2013
| title = ''Seize The Day, And Just Get on With Things''
| access-date = 6 April 2007
| last =
| first =
| work =
| publisher = The Telegraph, 8 March 2007
| location=Calcutta, India
| date=8 March 2007
}}</ref>

==Family==
In 1933 she married Dr. Sudhir Kumar Majumdar (1897-1984), a renowned dentist who was a graduate of the Harvard Dental School. Their son Ranjan was a medical doctor and a dentist. Daughter Kamala was married to Monishi Chatterjee, an oil engineer and grandson of the first female painter of the Bengal school, [[Sunayani Devi]]. Apart from her children, she had, at the time of her death, two grandsons, two granddaughters and three great-grandchildren.<ref name = "Times"/>

==Works==

===Juvenile Literature Books===
# ''Boddi Nather Bori'' (first published book, published in 1939)
# ''Din Dupure'' (published in 1948)
# ''Podi Pishir Bormi Baksho'' (published in 1953)
# ''Holde Pakhir Palok'' (published in 1957)
# ''Haati Haati'' (published in 1957)
# ''Bagher Chokh'' (published in 1959)
# ''Gupir Gupta Khata'' (published in 1959)
# ''Bak Badh Pala'' (published in 1959)
#''Bok Dharmik'' (published in 1960)
#''Tong Ling'' (published in 1963)
#''Lanka Dahan Pala'' (published in 1964)
#''Haoyar Danri'' (published in 1964)
#''Maaku'' (published in 1968)
#''Nepor Boi'' (published in 1969)
#''Naaku Gama'' (published in 1973)
#''Batashbari'' (published in 1974)
#''Bhootor Diary'' (published in 1979)
#''Kaag Noy'' (published in 1981)
#''Sob Bhuture'' (published in 1983)
#''Gupi-Panu'r Keertikolaap'' (published in 1983)
#''Khonja'' (published in 1991)
#''Beraler Boi'' (published in 1996)

===Books for Adults===
# ''Manimala'' (published in 1956)
# ''Jonaki'' (published in 1958)
#<ref name = "Statesman"/>''Sreemoti'' (published in 1958)
#''Cheena Lanthan'' (published in 1963)

===Autobiography and Memoirs===
#''Aar Konokhane'' (published in 1967)
#''Kheror Khata'' (published in 1982)
#''Pakdandi'' (published in 1986)

===Biographies===
#''Ei Ja Dekha'' (published in 1961)
#''Kabi Katha'' (published in 1961)
#''Upendrakishore'' (published in 1963)
#''Abanindranath'' (published in 1966)
#''Sukumar'' (published in 1989)

===Cookbook===
#''Rannar Boi'' (published in 1979)

===Other Works===
#''Chhotoder Srestho Galpo''
#''Taka Gaachh''
#''Basher Phul''
#''Moyna''
#''Shalikh''
#''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''
#''Ei Je Dekha''
#<ref name = "Telegraph"/>''Moni Manil''
#''Naatghar''
# ''Istkutum''
#''Lal Neel Deslai''
#<ref name = "Times"/> Megher Sari Dhorte Nari
#Pori didir Bor
#Pesha Bodol
#Batas Bari
#Monimala
#Ilshe Ghai

==Awards==
''Holde Pakhir Palok'' won the state award for children's literature, ''Bak Badh Pala'' won the [[Sangeet Natak Akademi Award]] from the [[Government of India]] in 1963, ''Aar Konokhane'' won [[Rabindra Puraskar]] from the [[Government of West Bengal]] in 1969. She had also won the Suresh Smriti Puraskar, Vidyasagar Puraskar, Bhubaneswari Medal for lifetime achievement,<ref name = "Times"/> and Ananda Puraskar.<ref name = "Telegraph"/> She has been awarded the Deshikottama by [[Visva-Bharati University|Visva Bharati]], and honorary D.Litt. by Burdwan, [[University of North Bengal|North Bengal]] and [[University of Calcutta|Calcutta]] Universities.<ref name = "Times"/>

==Legacy==
In 2019, a documentary film has been made on Lila Majumdar entitled ''"Peristan - The World of Lila Majumdar"''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://filmfreeway.com/PeristanTheWorldofLilaMajumdar|title=Peristan - the World of Lila Majumdar}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Ray family}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Majumdar, Leela}}
[[Category:1908 births]]
[[Category:2007 deaths]]
[[Category:Bengali writers]]
[[Category:Bengali-language writers]]
[[Category:Bengali detective fiction writers]]
[[Category:Writers from Kolkata]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Rabindra Puraskar]]
[[Category:Bengali–English translators]]
[[Category:English–Bengali translators]]
[[Category:University of Calcutta alumni]]
[[Category:Academic staff of the University of Calcutta]]
[[Category:Indian children's writers]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian translators]]
[[Category:Women writers from West Bengal]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian novelists]]
[[Category:Novelists from West Bengal]]
[[Category:People associated with Shillong]]
[[Category:People from Shillong]]
[[Category:Writers from Meghalaya]]
[[Category:Satyajit Ray]]
[[Category:Bengali-language science fiction writers]]
[[Category:Women science fiction and fantasy writers]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian women novelists]]

Leela Majumdar - Revision history

ElenaEbersbacher at 04:35, 29 April 2026