Sikkim mourns the death of Lata Mangeshkar

Fondly known as “Swar Kokila”, Lata Mangeshkar has died at the age of 92. With an illustrious and legendary career spanning for over half a century Mangeshkar was among the most respected and most admired singers at home and abroad.
She was admitted to the Mumbai’s Breach Candy Hospital in January 11, 2022 due to Covid pneumonia and as according to the doctors of the hospital was responding to the treatment. But her condition deteriorated substantially in the first week of February and had been on the ventilator and on life saving drugs. On 8:12 am the morning of February 6, 2022, she passed away due to “multi-organ failure” said Dr. Pratit Samdani, the doctor treating her.
President Ram Nath Kovind expressed his thoughts on the passing away of Lata Mangeshkar by saying that “Lata-ji’s demise is heart-breaking for me as it is for millions the world over. In her vast range of songs, rendering the essence and beauty of India, generations found expression of their inner-most emotions. A Bharat Ratna, Lata-ji’s accomplishments will remain incomparable.” “An artist born but once in centuries, Lata-didi was an exceptional human being, full of warmth, as I found whenever I met her. The divine voice has gone quiet forever but her melodies will remain immortal, echoing in eternity. My condolences to her family and admirers everywhere.” added the President.
Prime Minister, Narendra Modi too expressed his thoughts on the passing away of Lata Mangeshkar by saying that “Lata Didi’s songs brought out a variety of emotions. She closely witnessed the transitions of the Indian film world for decades. Beyond films, she was always passionate about India’s growth. She always wanted to see a strong and developed India.” “I consider it my honour that I have always received immense affection from Lata Didi. My interactions with her will remain unforgettable. I grieve with my fellow Indians on the passing away of Lata Didi. Spoke to her family and expressed condolences. Om Shanti.” added the Prime Minister.
“Her passing away is an irreparable loss to the nation. But for all the lovers of good music, she will forever remain a source of inspiration” said Union Minister, Nitin Gadkari, who was among the first to meet the bereaved family in the hospital.
As messages, condolences and statements from many celebrities of the Bollywood and other films industries along with politicians and the general masses pour in a National mourning of two days has been announced by the government and the funeral of the Late singer is likely to take place on the evening of February 6, 2022.
Born to the family of Deenanath Mangeshkar and Shevanti Mangeshkar on September 28, 1929 in Indore, Lata Mangeshkar started singing at a very young age as her father was too was a classical singer and a theatre actor. Lata was the eldest child and Meena, Asha, Usha and Hridaynath Mangeshkar, in the birth order, are her siblings, all of whom are now the accomplished singers and the musicians.
At the age of five Lata too would take part in her father’s musical plays as an actress. After her father died of heart attack in 1942, when Lata was just at the age 13, Vinayak Damodar Karnataki, a close friend of her father and the owner of the Navyug Chitrapat movie company, took care of her family and helped her get started in a career.
Lata moved to Bombay in 1945 and started taking lessons in Hindustani classical music from Ustad Aman Ali Khan of Bhindibazaar Gharana. It is rarely known that Lata had acted in some of the films of that time too. She and her sister Asha played minor roles in Vinayak’s first Hindi-language movie, Badi Maa in 1945.
After Vinayak’s death, music director Ghulam Haider mentored her as a singer and introduced her to producer Sashadhar Mukherjee, who dismissed Lata’s voice as “too thin”. Later Haider gave Lata her first major break with the song “Dil Mera Toda, Mujhe Kahin Ka Chhora”- lyrics by Nazim Panipati in the movie Majboor released in 1948, which became the first hit of Lata.
“Ghulam Haider is truly my Godfather. He was the first music director who showed complete faith in my talent” said Lata Mangeshkar in her 84th birthday, in September 2013.
“Aayega Aanewala,” a song in the movie Mahal released in 1949 was one of her first hit and was composed by music director Khemchand Prakash and lip-synced on screen by actress Madhubala.
Having recorded thousands of songs in over 36 languages she is considered as the greatest singer in the Indian film industry and collaborated with almost every big name in the industry which included the names like SD Burman, Shankar Jaikishan, Naushad Ali and her most loved collaborations with AR Rehman. Her greatest number of duets are were with another legendary vocalist Mohammed Rafi.
Apart from her love for music, Lata was an ardent cricket fan and witnessed the 1983 World Cup victory. She also held the Guinness Book of Records title as the most recorded artist in 1974.
The last song she recorded was the song released in March 2019 called ‘Saugandh Mujhe Is Mitti Ki’.
Across Lata’s extensive career she received numerous awards and accolades for her contribution to Indian music industry. Among others she was nominated 22 times for the Filmfare best playback singer, female, and won seven of them. She was awarded four National Film Awards, awarded by the Indian Government. She also received fourteen Bengal Film Journalists’ Association Awards, five Maharashtra State Film Awards, two IFFA awards, two Screen Awards, one Zee Cine Awards and one Mirchi Awards.
She was awarded with the Padma Bhushan on 1969, the Padma Vibhushan on 1999 and Bharat Ratna, India’s Highest Civilian Award, on 2001. She also was awarded with Dada Saheb Phalke Award on 1989. In 2008 Late was awarded with “One time for Lifetime Achievement” honour by the Government of India to commemorate the 60th anniversary of India’s Independence.
The Governor of Sikkim, Ganga Prasad, in his statement said that “We have lost a great artist today and her passing away is an irreparable loss to our music industry. Our country will not forget her contributions. I pray that her soul rest in peace.”
“I am deeply saddened to know the demise of veteran singer Lata Mangeshkar Ji at the age of 92 years” wrote Prem Singh Tamang, Chief Minister of Sikkim, as he shared his thoughts on the passing away of Lata Mangeshkar. “In a career spanning seven decades, her contributions to the Indian music industry earned her numerous accolades…. She also lent her voice to many patriotic songs and mesmerized the world with her golden voice. This is an irreparable loss for our Nation, which leaves a void that can never be filled. The Nightingale of India and a legendary singer is no more with us but she will live on through her songs and her melodious voice” said Tamang. “I express my deepest condolences to her family and friends and join the entire Nation in mourning this monumental loss and pray that her soul rests in eternal peace” added the Chief Minister.