Lata Mangeshkar, India’s Nightingale, dies at 92

Legendary singer 
Lata Mangeshkar passed away in Mumbai on
Sunday at the age of 92 due to multi-organ
failure. The versatile singer, christened the
Nightingale of India, had lent her voice to
thousands of songs in 36 languages in a career
spanning almost eight decades. Leading
personalities from all walks of life paid
 rich tributes to Mangeshkar.
The singer was laid to rest on Sunday evening
with full state honours at Mumbai’s Shivaji Park.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi also visited
Mumbai to pay his last respects to India’s ‘swar
kokila’. As a mark of respect to the Bharat Ratna
awardee, a two-day national mourning has been
announced. The National Flag will fly at half-
mast for two days and there will be no official
entertainment.
The Indian embassy in Canada has issued an advisory asking Ottawa protests: Indian embassy asks citizens in Canada to exercise caution
Indian citizens to exercise a high degree of caution in the
wake of the anti-vaccine mandate protests in Ottawa,
Toronto and other cities in the country.
“Please take all precautions in light of the ongoing protests
and public disturbance in Ottawa and other major Canadian
cities,” the Indian mission in Ottawa said in a statement late
Tuesday.

It urged Indians in Canada or planning to travel to the

country to remain alert and avoid areas where demonstrations
and large gatherings are taking place. It added that all Indians
are to follow the instructions of local authorities, including
curfews, and to monitor local media for information on
ongoing demonstrations and the evolving situation.

Canada has seen numerous protests against vaccine mandates

and other Covid-19 restrictions with protestors taking to the
streets. The daily demonstrations initially began as a protest
by truck drivers against a mandate that required cross-
country drivers to get vaccinated but has since morphed into
an anti-Trudeau rally.
Late in January, hundreds of truck drivers drove to Ottawa
under the banner of ‘Freedom Truck Convoy’ and parked in
downtown Ottawa, paralysing the normal functioning of the
city. Protesters have said they will not leave until all vaccine
mandates and Covid-19 restrictions are lifted, according to an
Associated Press report.