Obituary: Legendary singer and Bharat Ratna awardee Lata Mangeshkar dies at 92

Legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar passed away on Sunday, February 6 2022, at the age of 92. Considered one of the greatest and most respected singers in the country, Lata crooned songs in over a thousand Hindi films and has sung in over thirty-six Indian languages. Nicknamed as 'The Nightingale of India', the singer was bestowed with India's highest civilian honour Bharat Ratna in 2001.

Born in a musical family in Indore, Lata was born to Pandit Deenanath Mangeshkar, a classical singer and theatre actor, with his second wife Shevanti. Her father had adopted the surname Mangeshkar from his native town of Mangeshi, Goa. The legendary singer was born as Hema at birth but was renamed later Lata after a female character, Latika from her father's play Bhaaw Bandhan. She was the eldest of four siblings Meena Khadikar, Asha Bhosle, Usha Mangeshkar, and Hridaynath Mangeshkar, who also charted their career in the music industry. Asha Bhosle, her younger sister, is also one of the most celebrated singers in the Hindi film industry.

In 1942, when her father died of heart disease, a close friend of the Mangeshkar family Master Vinayak took Lata under his guidance and helped her to begin her career as a singer and actress in Marathi cinema. In 1945, Master Vinayak took Lata to Mumbai and the singer started taking Hindustani classical music lessons from Ustad Aman Ali Khan of Bhindibazaar Gharana. In 1946, Lata made her playback singing debut in Hindi movies when she sang the thumri 'Paa Laagu Kar Jori Re' in 'Aap Ki Sewa Mein'. This was her first credited playback song as the earlier song she had sung in the 1942 Marathi film 'Kiti Hasaal' was deleted from the final edit.

The legendary music composer Ghulam Haider mentored Lata after Vinayak's death in 1948. When one of the music directors dismissed Lata's voice as 'too thin', it is said that Haider then declared that producers and directors would "fall at Lata's feet" and "beg her" to sing in their movies. His prophecy became true as Lata became one of the most successful playback singers in the history of Indian cinema.

Some of her biggest hits include 'Aayega Aanewaala', 'Aaj Phir Jeene Ki Tamanna', 'Lag Jaa Gale', 'Mohe Panghat Pe, 'Chalte Chalte', 'Kora Kagaz Tha Yeh Man Mera', 'Raina Beeti Jaaye', 'Tere Bina Zindagi Se Koi', 'Jiya Jale' and 'Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham' across six decades from the 1950s to 2000s. From Shamshad Begum and Mohammed Rafi in the early days to Udit Narayan and Sonu Nigam in later years, Lata has collaborated with singers and music directors across generations.

Lata's marvelous singing had also moved the former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru to tears. On January 27, 1963, the singer performed the patriotic song written  'Aye Mere Watan Ke Logo' in front of Nehru in Delhi. Written by Kavi Pradeep in honour of the Indian soldiers who died in the India-China War of 1962, the song's emotional rendition is said to have brought Pandit Nehru to tears.

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The veteran singer was awarded Indian cinema's highest honour Dadasaheb Phalke award in 1989. She was awarded National Film Award for Best Female Playback Singer thrice. She was the first recipient of the Filmfare Award for Best Female Playback Singer in 1959 and went on to win the Black Lady four times, before making a magnanimous gesture in 1971 when she requested the organisers to not nominate her further in order to promote fresh talent.

Acting legend Dilip Kumar, who passed away last year, once said about her, "The way the fragrance of a flower has no color, a flowing spring or cool breezes belong to no country, the smile of an innocent child has no religion, similarly Lata Mangekshar’s voice is a miracle of nature’s creativity.” Lata Mangeshkar's loss is simply irreplaceable in the history of the nation and it will be mourned forever.