Former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh on Sunday condoled the demise of legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar and said that India has lost a great daughter. “I have learnt with deepest sorrow about the passing away of Lata Mangeshkar. India has lost a great daughter,” the former Prime Minister said in a statement.
Condoling the demise of the singer, he said that it is an immense loss to the nation. “She was the “Nightingale of India” and through her songs made an immense contribution to the cultural integration of the country. Her passing away is an immense loss to our nation and the void is going to be impossible to fill,” Dr Manmohan Singh said.
“My wife and I send our heartfelt condolences to the members of Lataji’s family, and we pray to God for the peace of the departed soul,” he added. Legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar passed away on Sunday at the age of 92. She had been admitted to Mumbai’s Breach Candy hospital on January 8 after being diagnosed with COVID-19 and pneumonia.
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Though having recovered from COVID, the singer was put on ventilator support after her conditions worsened on Saturday. Last rites with full State honours of the legendary singer will be performed on Sunday at 6:30 pm at Shivaji Park in Mumbai.
The Central Government has also announced the two-day national mourning to be observed in the memory of Lata Mangeshkar. Born on September 28, 1929, she began her career in 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 36 Indian and foreign languages.
She was awarded the Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian honour, in 2001. She was only the second vocalist after MS Subbulakshmi to receive Bharat Ratna. She’s also the recipient of three National Film Awards among many other honours. ‘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.
