Legendary Singer Lata Mangeshkar Passes Away at 92, Leaving Behind a Legacy of Melodious Memories
Lata Mangeshkar, the legendary Indian singer renowned for her melodious voice, has achieved immortality through her unparalleled singing talent. Known as the “Nightingale of India,” Mangeshkar passed away on Sunday at the age of 92. Born on September 28, 1929, in Indore, Madhya Pradesh, she was often referred to as a divine gift from Goddess Saraswati.
From a young age, Lata showed a keen interest in singing and music. She sang her first song in the Marathi film Pehli Mangala Gaur in 1942 at the age of 13. Lata made her debut in Hindi cinema with the film Aapki Seva Mein in 1947. Over the span of her illustrious 80-year career, she sang over 50,000 songs in 36 languages. Her last song was for the film Dunno Y2 by Nikhil Kamat in 2015.
Her demise has also been mourned in Nepal, with tributes pouring in from President Bidhya Devi Bhandari and Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba through social media.
President Bhandari expressed her sadness over Mangeshkar’s death, stating, “I am deeply saddened by the news of Lata Mangeshkar’s passing, who enriched several Nepali songs with her melodious voice. I offer my heartfelt tribute to the extraordinary talent that was Lata Mangeshkar.”
Similarly, Prime Minister Deuba conveyed his condolences, acknowledging her contribution to Nepali music. Though Lata Mangeshkar sang only three Nepali songs, they have left a lasting impression on the hearts of many.
The three Nepali songs that bear her iconic voice are:
- Akashma Tirnire Tara
- Jun Mato Maile Janma Lien
- Bachunjelilai
The first Nepali song, Akashma Tirnire Tara, was written by King Mahendra (M.B.B. Shah), with music composed by Hemant Kumar. The second, Jun Mato Maile Janma Lien, featured in the movie Maitighar and was also penned by King Mahendra with music by Jaydev. Her third and final Nepali song, Bachunjelilai, was a duet with Nepali singer Ram Krishna Dhakal, composed by Shikhar Santosh with lyrics by Anand Adhikari.
Ram Krishna Dhakal, who had the opportunity to sing Bachunjelilai alongside Mangeshkar, shared his heartfelt grief at her passing. In a social media post, he wrote, “Lata Mangeshkar, revered as an incarnation of Goddess Saraswati, has left us on the auspicious day of Saraswati Puja. Her departure feels like a colossal loss to the entire music world. I had the greatest fortune of singing with her, which remains the most cherished moment of my life. Her absence will forever leave a void in the world of music.”
Lata Mangeshkar’s melodious voice will continue to resonate in the hearts of millions.
