Leela Majumdar (Bengali: 唳侧唳侧 唳唰佮Ξ唳︵唳� Lila Mojumdar) was a Bengali writer. Her first story, Lakkhi chhele, 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 later edited by her cousin Sukumar Ray for sometime after the death of Upendrakishore in 1915. Together with her nephew Satyajit Ray and her cousin Nalini Das, she edited and wrote for Sandesh throughout her active writing life. Until 1994 she played an active role in the publication of the magazine.
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.
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 lifetime achievement, and Ananda Puraskar. She has been awarded the Deshikottama by Visva Bharati, and honorary D.Litt. by Burdwan, North Bengal and Calcutta Universities.
This jewel of Bengali literature has been given a fitting look by the publishers in this edition, which looks like a jewel-box containing the slim paperback volume bearing Satyajit Ray's original cover-illustration. As far as the story is concerned, there is hardly anything to be added to the universal praise that the book has been gathering since its first publication. Highly Recommended.