The Nightingale of India, legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar breathed her last due to multiple organ failure today, leaving the entire nation bereaved. She was 92 years of age. The news of her passing away was confirmed by her sister Usha Mangeshkar. On Saturday (February 5), her health condition had deteriorated following which she was put on a ventilator. Dr Pratit Samdani who was treating her, had revealed that she was under observation of a team of doctors.
The singer had contracted COVID-19 in January following which she was admitted to Breach Candy Hospital in Mumbai. She was also diagnosed with pneumonia and was shifted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). A few days ago, her doctors had informed that she had been cured of COVID-19 and pneumonia. However on Saturday, her health condition grew critical again. She suffered multiple organ failure last night and breathed her last at 8.12 am.
Lata Mangeshkar was born in 1929, the eldest daughter of Deenanath Mangeshkar, a Marathi and Konkani musician and his wife Shevanti. Lata was named Hema at her birth but her parents later renamed her Lata after a female character, Latika, in one of her father’s plays, Bhaaw Bandhan. She’s the eldest child of the family. Meena, Asha, Usha, and Hridyanath — all her own siblings too are accomplished musicians and singers. Lata sang the song Naachu Yaa Gade, Khelu Saari Mani Haus Bhaari, which was composed by Sadashivrao Nevrekar for Vasant Joglekar’s Marathi movie Kiti Hasaal (1942), but the song was dropped from the final cut. Her first Hindi song was Mata Ek Sapoot Ki Duniya Badal De Tu for the Marathi film Gajaabhaau (1943). She recorded songs in over thirty-six Indian languages.
Lata Mangeshkar was the winner of four Filmfare Best Playback Singer Awards, winning them for Aaja re pardesi (Madhumati, 1958), Kahin deep jale kahin dil (Bees Saal Baad, 1962), Tumhi mere mandir, tumhi meri pooja (Khandaan, 1965), and Aap mujhe acche lagne lage (1969). She gave up participation in the event in 1970. In 1993, she won the Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award, in 1994, she won the Filmfare Special Award and in 2004, another Filmfare Award was given to her on the occasion of Filmfare completing 50 years. She received several accolades and honours throughout her career. In 1989, The Dadasaheb Phalke Award was bestowed on her by the Government of India. She was also presented with Padma Bhushan (1969) and Padma Vibhushan (1999). She was bestowed with Bharat Ratna in 2001, India’s highest civilian honour and France conferred on her its highest civilian award, the Officer of the Legion of Honour, in 2007.