New Delhi, February 26: Leela Majumdar, a prominent figure in Bengali Literature, is celebrated as an enchantress of children’s Literature. Her magical pen has left an indelible mark on poetry, stories, and various other forms of writing. Among the few distinguished female authors, Majumdar enriched readers of all ages with her captivating narratives, ranging from children’s tales to adult novels.
Her works resonate with young minds while also being a true advocate for women’s lives, emotions, and struggles. Born on February 26, 1908, in Kolkata to a prestigious family, her father, Pramda Ranjan Ray, was the younger brother of renowned writer Upendrakishore Ray Chowdhury. Majumdar spent her early childhood in Shillong and completed her schooling at Loreto Convent and St. John’s Diocesan School, where she consistently excelled academically.
After earning gold medals in both her Honors and Master’s degrees in English Literature from Calcutta University, she began her teaching career at the Maharani Girls’ School in Darjeeling. Later, at the request of Rabindranath Tagore, she joined Santiniketan. She also worked at Ashutosh College and All India Radio, where she created the character Monimala for the “Mahila Mahal” series, beautifully portraying the life of a simple middle-class Bengali girl, resonating with millions of women.
Majumdar’s literary journey began in her teenage years with the story “Lakshmi Chhele” published in her uncle Upendrakishore’s magazine, “Sandesh.” Her first children’s book, “Baidyanathar Bori,” was released, but it was “Din Dupure” that garnered critical acclaim and brought her fame. Over her illustrious career, she authored more than 125 books, including story collections, novels, poetry, memoirs, cookbooks, translations, and edited works.
Her stories often presented the realities of everyday life with a light-hearted touch, infused with deep magic and sensitivity. She created strong female characters that adeptly highlighted the complexities of domestic life. For children, she crafted a world filled with dreams, while compelling adult readers to reflect on family relationships and social issues.
One of her most famous works, “Bak Badha Pala,” is a comedy play for which she received accolades. The novel “Padi Pishi’r Bormi Baksho” was once slated for a film adaptation by Satyajit Ray, later filmed by Arundhati Devi. Additionally, she translated works of renowned authors like Shakespeare, Jonathan Swift, and Ernest Hemingway into Bengali.
