The Nightingale of India, Lata Mangeshkar has, passed away in the wee hours of the morning. Now, the lady with the golden voice will continue with her music, but in another portal or dimension. She has passed away at 92 years after a prolonged hospitalization.
The Bharat Ratna Award winner, also called ‘Swar Kokila,’ breathed her last at Breach Candy Hospital. She has ruled India’s female playback singer genre for five decades.
She was found Corona positive and admitted to the hospital on Jan 8. On Sunday, the true melody queen breathed her last. She died of multi-organ failure.
Lataji was born on Sept 28, 1929, to Dinanath Mangeshkar, a Marathi and Konkani musician. She was the eldest daughter. In Goa, the family had undertaken the surname ‘Mangeshkar’ to identify with their hometown Mangeshi. All her younger siblings are also accomplished, singers and musicians. Asha Bhonsle has been the most famous one.
The Early Start
According to one of the characters in her father’s theatrical plays, Lata Mangeshkar was born as Hema but later renamed Lata. She started her career at the age of five. When her father died, she was helped by a family friend to start her musical JourneyJourney, in the 1940s.
Lataji sang the song ‘Naachu Yaa Gade, Khelu Saari Mani Haus Bhaari’, for a Marathi movie. She also starred in small roles in the movies at that time. Later in 1945, Lataji moved to Mumbai. She took lessons in various genres of music like Hindustani Classical Music. She also played small roles with her sister Asha in the movies. Initially, it was believed that she emulated singer Noor Jehan. She later moved to her own style. One important thing about her musical style was that she stayed away from Mehfil-style music. One of her biggest hits was one of her first major hits was ‘Aayega Aanewaala,’ a song in the movie Mahal in 1949. She was the voice for Madhubala as well.
The JourneyJourney – 1950s Onwards
The Indian Nightingale dominated the playback genre for more than 50 years. Lata Mangeshkar has sung 50,000 and more songs. Apart from the Hindi medium, she has also sung around 185 songs for Bengali films.
Lataji has sung for various composers and music directors throughout her career. They include Anil Biswas, Shankar Jai kishen, S.D. Burman, Naushad, Laxmikant -Pyarelal, amongst many others. She sang for many Marathi movies as well.
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In modern times, from the 1990s onwards, she sang for various new genre musicians and composers like Anand Milind, Nadeem Shravan, Jatin Lalit, and many more. She has also sung many ghazals. Her songs got famous and made the heroines famous for lip-syncing. She was deeply attached to the classical music genre. She is the leading voice for Indian music. No person across the globe has not heard of her musical genius. She has also sung many semi-classical songs in various movies.
Iconic Songs of Lata Mangeshkar
Tujhe Dekha Toh Yeh Jana Sanam
Hothon Main Aisi Baat from Jewel Thief
Kora Kagaz Tha Yeh Mann Mera
Jiya Jale
Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham
Didi Tera Dewar Deewana
Kabootar jaa jaa jaa
Lukka Chhupi
Awards and Recognition
Lataji has won several awards, including the Bharat Ratna, which is the Highest Civilian Award. Apart from that, she has also won Padmabhushan, Padma-Vibhushan, Dadasaheb Phalke awards, and many more. She was also the recipient of 3 National Film Awards, 15 Bengal Film Journalists’ Association Awards, 4 Filmfare Awards for Best Female Playback Singer nomination, 2 Filmfare Special Awards, Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award, and many more awards. In 1969, she gave up a Filmfare award to promote fresh talent.
In the year 1974, Lataji became the first Indian singer to perform at the Royal Albert Hall. It was a huge achievement for any Indian. She has also received many honorary doctorates. They are from the Sangeet Natak Akademi and one from Shivaji University, to name a few.
Her last rites will be performed at Shivaji Park today. The government has announced two-day mourning, and the Indian flag will fly at half-mast for two days. Today is the end of an era in music.
