Mumbai : Legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar passed away on Sunday at the age of 92 years, informed Union Minister Nitin Gadkari.
“The country’s pride and music world’s Shirmor Swar Kokila Bharat Ratna Lata Mangeshkar ji’s demise is very sad. My heartfelt tribute to the holy soul. Her passing is an irreparable loss to the country. She was always an inspiration to all the music seekers,” Gadkari tweeted after he visited Breach Candy Hospital in Mumbai.
“Lata didi was an intense patriot. She has always had a firm faith in the ideology of Swatantraveer Savarkar. Her life has been full of many achievements. Lata ji has always been an inspiration to all of us for good deeds. Her contribution to Indian music is incomparable,” he said in another tweet.
The megastar had been admitted to Mumbai’s Breach Candy hospital on January 8 after she was diagnosed with COVID-19 and pneumonia.
Though having recovered from COVID, the star singer was put on ventilator support after her condition worsened on Saturday. Union Minister Pralhad Joshi also expressed condolences over Mangeshkar’s demise.
“Sad to learn about the demise of Swar Kokila, Lata Mangeshkar ji. She enriched our lives for decades with her soulful voice. The nightingale of India has passed away but she will live in our hearts forever. Om Shanti,” Joshi tweeted.
Mangeshkar was an Indian playback singer and occasional music composer and was popularly known as “Nightingale of India” for her melodious voice.
Born on September 28, 1929, she began her career in the year 1942 at the age of 13. In a career spanning over seven decades, the melody queen recorded songs for over a thousand Hindi films. She had sung songs in over thirty-six regional Indian languages and foreign languages.
In 2001, in recognition of her contributions to the nation, she was awarded the Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian honour and is only the second vocalist, after MS Subbulakshmi, to receive this honour.
She’s also the recipient of three National Film Awards among many other honours she received during the span of her career. ‘Aye Mere Vatan Ke Logon’, ‘Babul Pyare’, Lag Ja Gale Se Phir’ among others are some of her iconic songs.
Mangeshkar is survived by four younger siblings- Asha Bhosle, Hridaynath Mangeshkar, Usha Mangeshkar and Meena Mangeshkar.