Feb 6 marks the first death anniversary of legendary Indian singer Lata Mangeshkar, also known as Lata di. She passed away on Feb 6 last year at Mumbai’s Breach Candy Hospital at 92.
Born on Sept 28, 1929, she was one of the biggest music icons in the country. Her contribution to the Indian music industry gained her titles such as the “Queen of Melody”, “Voice of the Millennium” and “Nightingale of India”.
Her career spanned over 80 years and she sang more than 5,000 songs in 36 Indian languages. From Madhubala to Madhuri Dixit, she lent her voice to all leading actresses in the country.
Lata won the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 1989. In 2001, the Government of India conferred on her the Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian honor, acknowledging her contribution to music. France too bestowed her with its highest civilian award, the Officer of the Legion of Honour, in 2007.
Lata Mangeshkar was born to theatre artistes and singers — Pandit Deenanath Mangeshkar and Shevanti — in Indore on September 28, 1929. Her siblings, Meena, Asha, Usha, and Hridaynath are all singers.
Lata shifted to Mumbai in 1949 after her father’s death in 1942. She learned Hindustani music from Ustad Aman Ali Khan in Mumbai. Lata Mangeshkar has worked with some legendary music directors, including Madan Mohan, R D Burman, Laxmikant-Pyarelal duo and others.
She has sung for Laxmikant-Pyarelal in more than 700 songs, but working with RD Burman, Lata Mangeshkar’s songs became extremely popular in the 1960s. Luka Chupi, her 2006 song from the movie Rang De Basanti, became an instant hit.
In 2012, Lata Mangeshkar launched her own label — LM Music. Her last known song was a Marathi number that she sang in 2019.
List of Awards
Mangeshkar has three National Film Awards, 15 Bengal Film Journalists’ Association Awards, four Filmfare Best Female Playback Awards, two Filmfare Special Awards, Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award, and many more.
The legendary singer might not be anymore but her rich legacy that is a delight for music lovers, will continue to live forever.
