Sreela Majumdar, favourite actor of directors like Mrinal Sen, dies at 65
Kolkata (PTI): Sreela Majumdar, a favourite actor of serious filmmakers such as Mrinal Sen, Shyam Benegal and Prakash Jha, died at her Kolkata residence on Saturday, her family said.
Majumdar, who was suffering from cancer for the past three years, was 65. She left behind her husband and son.
Condoling her death, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said Sreela was a powerful actor who played outstanding roles in several significant Indian films.
"It is a big loss for Bengal film industry and we shall miss her stellar presence. My condolences to her family," Banerjee said.
Majumdar's portrayal of characters in Mrinal Sen's Ekdin Pratidin' (And Quiet Rolls the Dawn, 1980), Kharij' (The Case is Closed, 1982) and Akaler Sandhane' (In Search of Famine; 1981), have been critically acclaimed.
She acted in crucial roles in Shyam Benegal's Mandi' (Market Place, 1983), Prakash Jha's Damul' (Bonded Until Death, 1985) and Utpalendu Chakraborty's Chokh' (Eye, 1983).
Her last film Palan' by Kaushik Ganguly, a sequel of Ekdin Pratidin', was also acclaimed widely last year.
She worked in altogether 43 films.
Majumdar was also known for her sensitive voice dubbing for Aishwarya Rai in the film Chokher Bali' (A Passion Play, 2003) by Rituparno Ghosh.
Condoling her death, the industry's younger colleague Rituparna Sengupta said, "She had delivered so many memorable performances under the direction of filmmakers like Mrinal Sen and others. She could have been utilised more by the industry."
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Telangana survey flags 89,000 child labourers, highlights caste disparities in employment
Hyderabad: A caste-based survey conducted by the Telangana government for 2024–25 has identified around 89,000 children engaged in labour across the state, with a large share belonging to Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) communities.
The findings are part of the Socio, Economic, Educational, Employment, Political and Caste (SEEEPC) Survey, which covered about 3.5 crore people across 242 caste groups. According to the report, nearly one per cent of individuals below 18 years are involved in daily wage work. While the percentage appears small, officials noted that the absolute number reflects a serious concern.
The survey found that 11 per cent of identified child labourers belong to the ST Lambadi community, while 14 per cent are from the SC Madiga community. The highest incidence was reported among the ST Kolam group, where 7.2 per cent of minors are engaged in daily wage labour.
The data also revealed wider socio-economic disparities. Nearly half of the Scheduled Caste population is dependent on daily wage work, while only around 5 per cent are employed in the private sector, compared to about 30 per cent among General Castes.
State Welfare Minister Ponnam Prabhakar said the findings show that SC and ST communities remain three times more backward than General Castes, while Backward Classes are about 2.7 times more disadvantaged.
The report further noted that, on average, 31.3 per cent of people in the 25–65 age group depend on daily wage work. Among communities, the BC-A Odde group recorded the highest share at 55 per cent. In contrast, only 2.6 per cent of OC Brahmins rely on such work.
Several SC and ST communities, including Kolam, Beda, Madiga, Koya, Gond, Yerukulas and Mala Sale, were found to have among the highest proportions of daily wage earners. On the other hand, most General Caste communities and some Backward Class groups such as Goldsmiths and BC-C Christians showed lower dependence on daily wage employment.
The survey also pointed to inequalities in access to formal employment. Communities such as OC Rajus, OC Brahmins and Kapus were found to have a higher presence in private sector jobs, with up to 27 per cent of their population employed in such roles.
