Dr. R. Leela Devi (13 February 1932 – 19 May 1998) was an Indian writer, translator, and teacher who wrote in English,

Malayalam Malayalam (; , ) is a Dravidian languages, Dravidian language spoken in the Indian state of Kerala and the union territories of Lakshadweep and Puducherry (union territory), Puducherry (Mahé district) by the Malayali people. It is one of 2 ...

, and

Sanskrit Sanskrit (; attributively , ; nominally , , ) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in South Asia after its predecessor languages had diffused there from the northwest in the late ...

. She was from the state of

Kerala Kerala ( ; ) is a state on the Malabar Coast of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, following the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, by combining Malayalam-speaking regions of the erstwhile regions of Cochin, Malabar, South ...

Profession

Writer and translator

Dr. R. Leela Devi wrote and translated more than 300 books with her husband V. Balakrishnan. She translated the '' Marthandavarma'', ''

Narayaneeyam ''Narayaniyam'' is a medieval-era Sanskrit text, comprising a summary study in poetic form of the ''Bhāgavata Purana''. It was composed by Melputhur Narayana Bhattathiri, (1560–1666 AD) one of the celebrated Sanskrit poets in Kerala. Even thou ...

'', and Vidur Gita (''

Mahabharata The ''Mahābhārata'' ( ; sa, महाभारतम्, ', ) is one of the two major Sanskrit literature, Sanskrit Indian epic poetry, epics of ancient India in Hinduism, the other being the ''Ramayana, Rāmāyaṇa''. It narrates the s ...

''), among others, and contributed to the English language section of the book ''Contribution of Writers to Indian Freedom Movement'' (see

Indian independence movement The Indian independence movement was a series of historic events with the ultimate aim of ending British Raj, British rule in India. It lasted from 1857 to 1947. The first nationalistic revolutionary movement for Indian independence emerged ...

Theatre

She translated Chandu Menon's ''Indulekha'' into English as ''Crescent Moon''.

Selected works

*''From Representation to Participation'' – the first book on

Panchayat The Panchayat raj is a political system, originating from the Indian subcontinent, found mainly in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Nepal. It is the oldest system of local government in the Indian subcontinent, and historical men ...

iraj- Sri Satguru Publications (Delhi) *''

Sarojini Naidu Sarojini Naidu (''née'' Chattopadhyay; 13 February 1879 – 2 March 1949) was an Indian political activist, feminist and poet. A proponent of civil rights, women's emancipation, and anti-imperialistic ideas, she was an important person in Ind ...

'' – biography *''Blue Jasmine'' – fantasy novel *''Saffron'' – a novel about the myths and

legend A legend is a genre of folklore that consists of a narrative featuring human actions, believed or perceived, both by teller and listeners, to have taken place in human history. Narratives in this genre may demonstrate human values, and possess ...

s of Kashmir *''Mannatthu Padmanabhan and the Revival of Nairs in Kerala'' – the renaissance of the

Nair The Nair , also known as Nayar, are a group of Indian Hindu castes, described by anthropologist Kathleen Gough as "not a unitary group but a named category of castes". The Nair include several castes and many subdivisions, not all of whom histo ...

s and their history *''An Epoch in Kerala History'' *''History of Malayalam Literature'' *''Kerala History'' *''Influence of English on Malayalam Literature'' *''Indian National Congress – Hundred Years'' – history of the

Indian National Congress The Indian National Congress (INC), colloquially the Congress Party but often simply the Congress, is a political party in India with widespread roots. Founded in 1885, it was the first modern nationalist movement to emerge in the British E ...

, published for Congress Centenary. *''A Handbook of English Teaching'' *''Ethics''(In various Religions of the World)- Sri Satguru Publications (Delhi) *''Vedic Gods and Some Hymns''- Sri Satguru Publications (Delhi) *''Vidura Gita''- Text & English Translation- Sri Satguru Publications (Delhi) *''Naganandam by Harshavardhana''- Sri Satguru Publications (Delhi)

References

External links

* http://www.malayalamebooks.org {{DEFAULTSORT:Devi, Leela 1932 births 1998 deaths Indian women dramatists and playwrights Malayalam-language writers 20th-century Indian women writers 20th-century Indian dramatists and playwrights Writers from Kerala 20th-century Indian translators English-language writers from India Indian political writers Indian women political writers People from Pala, Kerala Indian women non-fiction writers Women biographers 20th-century Indian biographers Sanskrit writers Women writers from Kerala Indian women translators