Nightingale of India, late Lata Mangeshkar’s immortal voice will live on, forever!

#LataMangeshkar, #NightingaleOfIndia, breathed her last on Sunday, 6th February, ‘22, morning. The entire nation is mourning as the melody queen is no more. Lata was synonymous with melody and she sang in 34 languages and the count of her songs exceed 50,000. The Bollywood music fraternity is orphaned due to the demise of Lata Didi.

In her career spanning seven decades Lata gave innumerable memorable songs. She was instrumental in many heroine’s career sky rocketing to fame. Her songs made many actresses superstars. Extremely down to earth person Lata Mangeshkar always supported new talent too. In fact she was instrumental in starting an award for playback singing at the prestigious award functions and after winning plenty of them declared to not to consider her for the award to encourage other female singers.

Lata had to earn bread for her family at an early age of 13 as her father, noted singer Dinanath Mangeshkar, expired. She was the oldest of the siblings, Meena Khadikar, Asha Bhosle, Usha Mangeshkar and Hridaynath Mangeshkar. At the age of 14 she recorded her first song and ‘Aayega Aanewala….’ was her first hindi hit song which cemented her position in playback singing. In fact she never looked back after that.

Lata Mangeshkar’s last rites were attended by several dignitaries including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray. Several celebrities including, Shahrukh Khan, Ranbir Kapoor, Shraddha Kapoor (who is related to Lata Mangeshkar), Aamir Khan with daughter Ira, Bharat Ratna Sachin Tendulkar with wife Anjali attended the funeral. Bharat Ratna Lata Mangeshkar’s last rites were performed with State Honours. Maharashtra State has declared a holiday on Monday 7th February, ‘22 as a respect to the departed soul.

Lata Mangeshkar was honoured with the ‘Padma Bhushan’ in 1969, the ‘Padma Vibhushan’ in 1999 and the highest civilian award, Bharat Ratna in 2001.

Though her body is cremated Lata Mangeshkar’s immortal voice lives on, forever.