Mumbai: Legendary singer Bharat Ratna Lata Mangeshkar passed away at the age of 92 due to multi-organ failure in Mumbai this morning.
Mangeshkar, who was known as the ‘Queen of Melody’ and the ‘Nightingale of India’, breathed her last at 8.12 am in Mumbai’s Breach Candy Hospital.
Mangeshkar will be cremated at Shivaji Park with full State honours this evening. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to arrive in Mumbai at 4.15 pm today to pay his last respects to the legendary singer.
Mangeshkar had tested positive for COVID-19 on Jan. 8 and was undergoing treatment. She was admitted to ICU where she was being treated by Dr. Pratit Samdani and his team of doctors.
The legendary singer was showing improvement until last week but her health deteriorated and she was put back on ventilator support on Saturday morning.
The singer was also being treated for pneumonia. She recovered from COVID-19 and pneumonia on Jan. 30.
In November 2019, Mangeshkar was admitted to the same hospital after she complained of difficulty in breathing and was diagnosed with pneumonia. She was discharged after 28 days.
Born in Indore, Mangeshkar remained the voice of screen idols for generations. She began her career at the age of 13 in 1942 and had sung over 30,000 songs in several Indian languages in over seven decade-long career.
Her first breakthrough song, ‘Dil Mera Toda’, was for the film ‘Majboor’ in 1948. In the following year, 1949, Lata Mangeshkar garnered massive popularity with the track ‘Aayega Aanewala’ from Madhubala-starrer ‘Mahal’. After this, there was no looking back for Mangeshkar, who went on to become the most iconic singer in Indian cinematic and music history.
Some of her most loved tracks were ‘Ajeeb Dastan Hai Yeh,’ ‘Jab Pyar Kiya Toh Darna Kya,’ ‘Bheegi Bheegi Raaton Mein,’ ‘Tere Bina Zindagi Se Koi Shikwa To Nahin,’ ‘Lag Jaa Gale,’ ‘Ek Pyar Ka Nagma Hai,’ ‘Tune O Rangeele,’ ‘Aye Mere Watan Ke Logo,’ ‘Maye Ni Maye,’ ‘Mere Khwabon Mein Jo Aaye,’ ‘Tere Liye,’ and ‘Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham’.
Lata had sung two songs in Kannada in 1967. She lent her voice to the songs ‘Ellare Iratheero’ and ‘Bellane Belagayithu’ for the movie ‘Krantiveera Sangolli Rayanna’. Her sister Asha Bhosle and Usha Mangeshkar have also sung for the same film directed by B.T. Athani. Lakshman Barelendar composed the music.
Her last full album was for the late filmmaker Yash Chopra-directed 2004 film ‘Veer Zaara’. Mangeshkar’s last song was ‘Saugandh Mujhe Is Mitti Ki,’ which was released on March 30, 2021, as a tribute to the Indian Army. She was awarded Bharat Ratna, the highest civilian honour in 2001.
Lata Mangeshkar was also the recipient of several awards including Padma Bhushan, Padma Vibhushan, Dada Saheb Phalke Award, and multiple National Film Awards.
This post was published on February 6, 2022 6:42 pm