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{{Short description|Indian writer of children's literature (1934–2021)}}
{{Redirect|Sumangala|the genus of planthopper|Sumangala (planthopper)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2021}}
{{Infobox writer
| name = Leela Nambudiripad
| image = Sumangala (cropped).jpg
| pseudonym = Sumangala
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{birth date|1934|5|16|df=y}}
| birth_place = [[Palakkad]], [[Kerala]], British India
| death_place =
| occupation = Writer, author
| spouse = Ashtamurthy Nambudiripad
| children = 3
| notableworks = ''Neypaayasam'' <br>''Manchaatikkuru''
| death_date = {{death date and age|df=yes|2021|4|27|1934|5|16}}
}}
'''Leela Nambudiripad''' (16 May 1934 – 27 April 2021), known by her pen name '''Sumangala''', was an Indian author of children's literature in [[Malayalam]].<ref name="thehindu-1">{{cite web|date=24 August 2013|title=Honour for Sumangala|url=https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-kerala/honour-for-sumangala/article5054774.ece|work=The Hindu}}</ref><ref name="keralabookstore.com">{{cite web|url=https://keralabookstore.com/books-by/Sumangala/410/|title=Books by Author Sumangala|publisher=Kerala book store}}</ref> Some of her notable works included ''Neypaayasam, Mithayippoti,'' as well as translations of the ''[[Panchatantra]]'' into Malayalam.

She was the recipient of the [[Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for Children's Literature]] in 1979 and the [[List of Malayalam literary awards#Kendra Sahitya Akademi Award for Children's Literature (Bal Sahitya Puraskar)|Kendra Sahitya Akademi Award for Children's Literature]] in 2013.

== Early life ==
Leela Nambudripad was born on 16 May 1934 as the eldest daughter of eminent Sanskrit scholars O M C Narayanan Nambudiripad and Uma Antharjanam in [[Vellinezhi]] ([[Palakkad District]], [[Kerala]], India).<ref>{{Cite web|title=കഥയോർമയായ്, സുമംഗല|url=https://www.manoramaonline.com/news/kerala/2021/04/27/sumangala-passes-away.html|access-date=28 April 2021|website=ManoramaOnline|language=ml}}</ref><ref name=":0" />

== Career ==
Nambduripad started her career as a writer in 1959, writing under her pen name Sumangala. In a career of over 40 years, she was referred to as the [[Enid Blyton]] of [[Malayalam]]<ref name="thehindu-2">{{cite web|date=2 October 2013|title=The storyteller|url=https://www.thehindu.com/books/books-authors/the-storyteller/article5192947.ece|work=The hindu}}</ref> and penned over 50 books, of which 23 are for children.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite news|title=Renowned children's literature author Sumangala dies - Times of India|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/books/features/renowned-childrens-literature-author-sumangala-dies/articleshow/82286033.cms|access-date=2021-04-30|website=The Times of India|language=en}}</ref>

Her most celebrated works include ''Mithayippoti'' ({{Translation|[[Mithai (confectionery)|sweet box]]}}), ''Neypaayasam'' ({{Translation|[[Paayasam|rice pudding]] with [[ghee]]}}), ''Manchaatikkuru'', ''Kurinjiyum Koottukaarum'', ''Ee Kattha Kettittundo'' ({{Translation|have you heard this story?}}), ''Nadodi Cholkathakal'', ''Rahasyam'' and ''Kudamanikal''. She was most noted for her translation into Malayalam of the ''[[Panchatantra]]''.<ref name=":0" /> Sumangala has also translated the ''[[Ramayana|Valmiki Ramayanam]]'' into Malayalam from [[Sanskrit]]. She also was the compiler of ''Pacha Malayala Nikhandu,'' a dictionary of colloquial Malayalam. The book was praised for its insights and diverse facts about the Malayalam language.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite web|author=T. Ramavarman|date=28 Apr 2021|title=Writer Sumangala no more {{!}} Kochi News - Times of India|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kochi/writer-sumangala-no-more/articleshow/82280675.cms|access-date=28 April 2021|website=The Times of India|language=en}}</ref>

She wrote a song for the Malayalam film ''[[Chenda (film)|Chenda]]'' (1973)<ref>{{Cite news|last=Vijayakumar|first=B.|date=14 May 2016|title=Chenda: 1973|language=en-IN|work=The Hindu|url=https://www.thehindu.com/features/metroplus/the-1973-film-explores-the-art-forms-of-kerala/article8600552.ece|access-date=28 April 2021|issn=0971-751X}}</ref> and was also a contributor to ''[[Poompatta]]'', a Malayalam-language comic for children.<ref name=":0" /> She also wrote a book on the history of [[Kerala Kalamandalam]], a center for performing arts and learning in Kerala.<ref name=":0" />

Sumangala was the recipient of many awards, including the [[Kerala Sahitya Akademi]] Award for the [[Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for Children's Literature|best work in children's literature]] in 1979 and the Bala Sahitya Institute award for lifelong contribution towards children's literature in 1999. She was the recipient of the [[Kendra Sahitya Academy Award]] for [[List of Malayalam literary awards#Kendra Sahitya Akademi Award for Children's Literature (Bal Sahitya Puraskar)|Children's Literature]] in 2013. The Kerala Sahitya Akademi president [[Vaisakhan]] praised her for leading generations of Malayalam children into the world of reading: her books instilled the importance of human values and were simple and readable for children. He compared the tone of her writing to that of a "grandmother telling stories to her grandchildren".<ref name=":0" />

== Personal life ==
Nambudiripad was married to Desamangalam Ashtamurthy Nambudiripad until his death in 2014. They had three children: Usha Nambudiripad, D. Narayanan and D. Ashtamurthy. She served in the Public Relations Department of [[Kerala Kalamandalam]] for 22 years.<ref>{{cite web|title=സുമംഗലയ്ക്ക് വിടചൊല്ലി സാഹിത്യ ലോകം|url=https://malayalam.indianexpress.com/kerala-news/malayalam-writer-sumangala-passes-away-488295/|access-date=28 April 2021|publisher=Indian Express Malayalam|language=ml-IN}}</ref><ref name=":0" /> She resided in the town of [[Wadakkancherry]] in [[Thrissur District]], in [[India]].<ref name="veethi.com">{{cite web|title=Leela Nambudiripad|url=http://www.veethi.com/india-people/leela_nambudiripad-profile-10090-25.htm|publisher=Veethi}}</ref>

Nambudiripad died on 27 April 2021 at her home in Wadakkancherry from age-related ailments, shortly before turning 87.<ref name=":0">{{cite news|last=Muringatheri|first=Mini|date=27 April 2021|title=Sumangala's works led many a children into the world of reading|language=en-IN|newspaper=The Hindu|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/sumangalas-works-led-many-a-children-into-the-world-of-reading/article34425633.ece|access-date=27 April 2021|issn=0971-751X}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=കഥയോർമയായ്, സുമംഗല|url=https://www.manoramaonline.com/news/kerala/2021/04/27/sumangala-passes-away.html|access-date=28 April 2021|website=manoramaonline.com|language=ml}}</ref>

==Bibliography ==
<sub>Source(s):<ref>{{Cite web|title=Sumangala at [WorldCat.org]|url=http://www.worldcat.org/search?q=Sumangala&dblist=638&fq=ap:%22suman%CC%87gala%22&qt=facet_ap:%20Sumangala|access-date=28 April 2021|website=www.worldcat.org|language=en}}</ref></sub>
{{Div col}}
* Nuṇakkul̲ikaḷ, cer̲ukathakaḷ (1967)
* Kaṭamakaḷ (1967)
* Caturaṅgaṃ : nōval (1969)
* Tatta par̲añña 65 kathakaḷ (1989)
* Taṅkakiṅṅiṇi (1992)
* Pan̄catantr̲aṃ (1994)
* Mañcāṭikkuru (1994)
* Rahasʼsaṃ (1995)
* Albutha Ramayanam (2001)
* Ee katha kettittunda? (2003)
* Pañcatantrakathakaḷ (2011)
* Uṇṇikaḷkk Kr̥ṣṇakathakaḷ (2014)
* Pañcakanyakamār : kathakaḷ (2015)
* Śr̲īrāmakathakaḷ - Sree Rama kathakal (2016)
* Paccamalayālạaṃ nighaṇṭu = Pachamalayalam nighandu (2016)
* Eeswaravatharangalude ammamar (2017)
* Onpatu Śrīrāmanmāruṃ mat̲t̲u kathakaḷuṃ : bālasāhityaṃ (2017)
* Parīkṣittinu kiṭṭiya śāpavuṃ mat̲t̲u kathakaḷuṃ : bālasāhityaṃ (2017)
* Neyppāyasaṃ (2017)
* Śrīkr̥ṣṇanuṃ ōṭakkul̲aluṃ : bālasāhityaṃ (2017)
* Arshabharatha sthreekal (2017)
* Kuruvamsathile bagyaheenakalaya vanithakal (2017)
* Karṇanu kiṭṭiya śāpavuṃ mat̲t̲u kathakaḷuṃ : bālasāhityaṃ (2017)
* Apsara sthreekal (2017)
* Pathivrathakalaya ranhimar (2017)
* Śivant̲e pāṭṭuvaṇṭiyuṃ mat̲t̲u kathakaḷuṃ : bālasāhityaṃ (2017)
* Pathivrathakalaya munipathnimar (2017)
* Rāvaṇanuṃ Yamadharmanuṃ mat̲t̲u kathakaḷuṃ : bālasāhityaṃ (2017)
* Śrīpārvatikku kiṭṭiya śāpavuṃ mat̲t̲u kathakaḷuṃ : bālasāhityaṃ (2017)
* Peran̲pin̲ pūkkaḷ : Malaiyāḷa cir̲ār kataikaḷ (2018)
* Pañcatantrakathakaḷ (2019)
* Miṭhāyippoti (2020)
{{Div col end}}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.worldcat.org/search?q=Sumangala&dblist=638&fq=ap%3A%22suman%CC%87gala%22&qt=facet_ap%3A Sumangala]

{{Malayalam Literature |state=collapsed}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Nambudiripad, Leela}}
[[Category:1934 births]]
[[Category:2021 deaths]]
[[Category:Indian children's writers]]
[[Category:Malayalam-language writers]]
[[Category:Translators to Malayalam]]
[[Category:Women writers from Kerala]]
[[Category:Indian women children's writers]]
[[Category:Writers from Palakkad district]]
[[Category:Novelists from Kerala]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian novelists]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian translators]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian women novelists]]

Leela Nambudiripad - Revision history

SuzetteEql at 04:35, 29 April 2026