Lata Mangeshkar (92), the legendary singer who earned herself the fond moniker of the Nightingale of B-town, took her last breath today in the hospital. Lata Ji, the legendary singer was admitted to Mumbai’s Breach Candy Hospital on January 08 after she was diagnosed with COVID-19 and pneumonia.

Recently the health condition of Lata Mangeshkar was improved and she had been removed from the ventilator. But doctors said her condition worsened again and she was again put on ventilator support and was undergoing aggressive therapy on Saturday (January 05). Unfortunately, the 92-year-old singer passed away in the morning today at the hospital bed.

Popular as Bollywood’s Nightingale, Lata ‘Didi’ ruled the music industry for nearly eight decades now. Her melodious voice won millions of hearts all over the globe, it’s not just in India where she was loved but also all over the world.

Here’s Lata Mangeshkar’s musical journey via photographs:

Lata Mangeshkar was the eldest of five siblings, born in 1929. Her father and his music first-ever music advisor were classical musician Pandit Deenanath Mangeshkar. His father always gave her music lessons.

The singer would often bring her younger sibling Asha Mangeshkar (Asha Bhosle) with her at all places. Lata had a great love for her siblings, she even left school on her very first day because they did not allow her to bring Asha with her.

In the year 1942, a 13-year-old Lata began her career in music after her father died.

She simultaneously juggled between singing songs and acting parts in Marathi films. Mangeshkar’s career soared great heights after her song Aayega Aanewala from Mahal became an instant hit. She then went on to sing several compositions in movies like Mother India and Mughal-E-Azam.

Lata Mangeshkar won three National Awards for Best Female Playback Singer for her compositions in the films Parichay, Kora Kagaz and Lekin.

On January 27, 1963, Lata sang Aye Mere Watan Ke Logo with the backdrop of the Sino-Indian war which brought tears to the eyes of the then Prime Minister of India, Jawahar Lal Nehru.

In 1974, she became the first Indian singer to perform at the Royal Albert Hall in London.

The late singer had composed music for a bunch of Marathi films which won her the Maharashtra State Government’s award for Best Music Director in 1964 for the film Sadhi Manse.

Lata Ji was the only second vocalist after M. S. Subbulakshmi, to be bestowed with India’s highest civilian honor, the Bharat Ratna.

(Image Source: Her Social Media Profiles and Google) 

By: Priya Bharti