LATA MANGESHKAR

The Nightingale of Indian Cinema

Lata Mangeshkar, was an Indian playback singer and
occasional music composer. She is widely considered
to have been one of the greatest and most influential
singers in India.
Her contribution to the Indian music industry in a
career spanning seven decades gained her honorific
titles such as the Nightingale of Indian
Cinema, Voice of the Millennium and Queen of
Melody.
Early Life
Mangeshkar was born in a Maharashtrian Brahmin family on
September 28th 1929, as the eldest daughter of Deenanath
Mangeshkar (who was a Marathi and Konkani musician and a
theatre actor) and Shevanti (later renamed Shudhamati) in Indore.
Deenanath adopted the surname Mangeshkar in order to identify
his family with his native town of Mangeshi, Goa. Lata was
named "Hema" at her birth. Her parents later renamed her Lata
after a female character, Latika, in one of her father's plays, Bhav
Bandhan. Meena, Asha, Usha, and Hridaynath, in birth order, are
her siblings; all are accomplished singers and musicians.
Her music career
She received her first music lesson from her father. At the age of five, she started to work as an
actress in her father's musical plays (Sangeet Natak in Marathi). When Lata Mangeshkar
was 13 years old, her father died in 1942. The owner of Navyug Chitrapat movie company named
Vinayak Damodar Karnataki (a close friend of the Mangeshkar family) took care of them. He
helped Lata to get started in a career as a singer and actress.
In 1942, Lata Mangeshkar sang the song "Naachu Yaa Gade, Khelu Saari Mani Haus Bhaari". It
was composed by Sadashivrao Nevrekar for Vasant Joglekar's Marathi movie Kiti Hasaal (though,
the song was dropped from the final cut). A small role was also provided by Vinayak in Navyug
Chitrapat's Marathi movie Pahli Mangalaa-gaur, she sang "Natali Chaitraachi Navalaai". It was
composed by Dada Chandekar. "Mata Ek Sapoot Ki Duniya Badal De Tu" was her first song in
Hindi.
As a teenager, she struggled to support her family. She established herself as a playback singer in
the Hindi film industry of the 1940s. She moved to Mumbai in 1945, and started taking lessons
from Ustad Aman Ali Khan of Bhindibazaar Gharana in Hindustani classical music.
In 1948, Vinayak died and later music director Ghulam Haider mentored her as a singer. He
introduced Lata to producer Sashadhar Mukherjee. She recorded the hit “Uthaye ja unke sitam” in
Andaz (1949), and her destiny was sealed. From this point, she gave her musical voice to every
major leading lady, representing every generation of Hindi cinema.
She won Filmfare Award for Best Female Playback Singer for Salil Chowdhury's composition
Her awards and honours:
She won several awards and honours and some of them are listed below:

2012 - She was ranked number 10 in Outlook India's poll of the Greatest Indian
2009 - She was awarded the title of Officer of the French Legion of Honour, France's highest order
2009 - ANR National Award
2007 - Legion of Honour
2001 - Bharat Ratna
1999 - Padma Vibhushan
1999 - Zee Cine Award for Lifetime Achievements
1999 - NTR National Award
1997 - Maharashtra Bhushan Award
1989 - Dadasaheb Phalke Award
1972, 1974, and 1990 - Three National Film Awards

15 Bengal Film Journalists' Association Awards

1959, 1963, 1966, and 1970 - Four Filmfare Best Female Playback Awards.
1994 and 2004 - Filmfare Special Awards
1993 - Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award
1992 – State Government of Maharashtra also instituted a Lata Mangeshkar Award
1984 - State Government of Madhya Pradesh instituted the Lata Mangeshkar Award of Lata Mangeshkar
1969 – Padma Bhushan
Illness and death
On 8 January 2022, Lata Mangeshkar tested positive for COVID-19 with
mild symptoms and was admitted to Breach Candy Hospital's intensive care
unit in Mumbai. She remained in the ICU with signs of "marginal
improvement" in her health. The doctors treating her had taken her off
the ventilator on 28 January after her health "improved marginally"; however,
she was back on the ventilator on 5 February, after her health deteriorated,
and was undergoing "aggressive therapy".
Mangeshkar died from multiple organ dysfunction syndrome on 6 February
2022, at the age of 92. She had undergone 28 days of constant treatment for
pneumonia and COVID-19.
Mangeshkar's last rites (performed by her brother, Hridaynath Mangeshkar)
and cremation were held, with full state honours, at Mumbai's Shivaji Park on
the same day. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Governor Bhagat Singh
Koshyari, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray paid their last respects and
placed floral tributes. Mangeshkar's sisters Asha Bhosle and Usha
Mangeshkar, and many dignitaries and family members were also in
attendance.
On 10 February 2022, Mangeshkar's ashes were immersed in the Godavari
River at Ramkund, Nashik by her sister Asha Bhosle and her nephew Adinath
Mangeshkar. Although Lata Mangeshkar has left this world, her voice will be
remembered forever.
Thank
You!