Leela Nambudiripad

Leela Nambudiripad (16 May 1934 – 27 April 2021), known by her pen name Sumangala, was an Indian author of children's literature in Malayalam. 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 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). and penned over 50 books, of which 23 are for children.

Her most celebrated works include Mithayippoti , Neypaayasam , Manchaatikkuru, Kurinjiyum Koottukaarum, Ee Kattha Kettittundo , Nadodi Cholkathakal, Rahasyam and Kudamanikal. She was most noted for her translation into Malayalam of the Panchatantra.

She wrote a song for the Malayalam film Chenda (1973) and was also a contributor to Poompatta, a Malayalam-language comic for children.

Nambudiripad died on 27 April 2021 at her home in Wadakkancherry from age-related ailments, shortly before turning 87.