INDIA. Mumbai: Legendary singer India’s nightingale Bharat Ratna Lata Mangeshkar (92) was admitted to the Breach Candy Hospital in South Mumbai after being diagnosed with COVID-19 and Pneumonia on January 08 passed away, on Sunday, February 06.
She breathed her last at 8.12 am. Her sad demise was mourned by one and all, who included the President, Prime Minister, and a host of leaders, artists, and ordinary men. In his condolence message, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray said that it’s “heartbreaking that our dear Lata didi is not with us today.” “There is hardly a corner of the world where her voice was not heard,” Thackeray added.
Two days state mourning declared by the Maharashtra Government. The last rites will be performed at Shivaji Park located in Central Mumbai at 6:30 pm on Sunday.
Lata has four siblings-Meena Khadikar, Asha Bhosle, Usha Mangeshkar and Hridaynath Mangeshkar-of whom she was the eldest.
Lata Mangeshkar was the eldest daughter of musician Pandit Deenanath Mangeshkar and his wife Shevanti. Lata Mangeshkar was born as Hema on September 28, 1929, in Indore in Madhya Pradesh. She was also named Hrudaya before her parents finally named her Lata. Pandit Deenanath was a classical singer and theatre actor.
In 1942, when Lata Mangeshkar was just 13, her father, Deenanath, died. Master Vinayak (Vinayak Damodar Karnataki), who was the owner of “Navyug Chitrapat” movie company and also a close friend of the Mangeshkar family, helped Lata to start her singing and acting career.
Lata Mangeshkar sang the song “Naachu Yaa Gade, Khelu Saari Mani Haus Bhaari,” which was composed by Sadashivrao Nevrekar for Vasant Joglekar’s Marathi film “Kiti Hasaal” (1942). Still, the song was dropped from the final cut. Then Vinayak gave her a small role in Navyug Chitrapat’s Marathi movie “Pahili Mangalaa-Gaur” (1942), in which she also sang “Natali Chaitraachi Navalaai” which was composed by Dada Chandekar. Lata Mangeshkar’s first Hindi song was “Mata Ek Sapoot Ki Duniya Badal De Tu” for the Marathi film “Gajaabhaau” (1943).
However, Ghulam Haider gave her first major break with the song “Dil Mera Toda, Mujhe Kahin Ka Na Chhora” in Majboor (1948), which became her first big breakthrough film hit.
Lata Mangeshkar was the singing voice behind a lot of Bollywood leading ladies in a career spanning nearly eight decades. She gave her voice to over 5,000 songs in over a thousand Hindi and 36 regional films. She has had an unparalleled impact on Indian film music.
Music direction
Lata Mangeshkar composed music under the pseudonym “Anand Ghan” for the Marathi films: Ram Ram Pavhana (1960), Maratha Tituka Melvava (1963), Mohityanchi Manjula (1963), Sadhi Manase (1965), and Tambadi Mati (1969). She won Maharashtra Government’s Best Music Director Award for “Sadhi Manase.” The song “Airanichya Deva Tula,” which was from the same movie, received the best song award.
Production
Lata Mangeshkar produced four films: “Vandal” (Marathi) (1953), “Jhaanjhar” (Hindi), co-produced with C. Ramchandra (1953), “Kanchan Ganga” (Hindi) (1955), and “Lekin” (Hindi) (1990).
Awards
The prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke Award was given to her in 1989 by the Government of India. In 2001, Lata was awarded the Bharat Ratna, which is India’s highest civilian honor in recognition of her contributions to the nation. She was only the second vocalist, after M S Subbulakshmi, to receive this honor. In 2007, France conferred on her its highest civilian award, the Officer of the Legion of Honour.
She received three National Film Awards and 15 Bengal Film journalists’ Association Awards. Four Filmfare Best Female Playback Awards, two Filmfare Special Awards, Life Time Achievement Awards, and many more. In 1974, she became the first Indian to perform at the Royal Albert Hall, London.
Politics
Lata Mangeshkar was also a Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha from November 22, 1999, to November 21, 2005.
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