Many people, including me, believe God lives in Lataji’s soul and makes His or Her way into her throat and outwards in a divine clasp. When you hear her sing a love song like 'Lag ja gale se'(Who Kaun Thi), 'Raina beeti jaye' (Amar Prem) or 'Main janoon nahin piya se milan kaise hoye ri'(Chand Grahan), you wonder who she addresses the melody to. Could it be the one &nbsp;who &nbsp;created this world? Now she has &nbsp;joined the Creator &nbsp;leaving the world with only her songs for comfort. 
 
In a dated interview, the legendary singer had opened up about the people who influenced her life.&nbsp;

My father Pandit Dinanath Mangeshkar: “My father was a huge influence in shaping me into the singer that I became. He taught me music. Do you &nbsp;know for a very long time my father didn’t know I could sing.I was scared to sing in front of him. Our domestic helpers were forced to hear me sing.I’d go into the kitchen and make them hear me sing.I’d sing K L Saigal’s and my father’s songs to them. My mother would scold me and shoo me away berating me &nbsp;for wasting her time. Then something happened. A student of my father( who later became the very well-known Maharashtrian actor Chandrakant Gokhale) who was our tenant &nbsp;was doing riyaaz &nbsp;while my father had stepped out. I was playing &nbsp;outside when I &nbsp;heard him sing a bandish . I was around 5 years old.I went inside and told him he was doing it wrong, and I sang it the way &nbsp;I had heard my father sing .My father came back and made me sing it again. &nbsp;I sang and fled.I’d learn from hearing my father sing, though I never had the courage to go and sing with him. But that day after I corrected his student, things changed. The next morning he told me to wake up,wash up and come to his room. I trembled as I got ready. I was petrified of him. He was very conservative and a disciplinarian. All the ladies of the house, young or old, had to sport &nbsp; kum-kum on the forehead and &nbsp;bangles in their hands.We were not allowed to use powder.Those were the days of freedom fighting. Our home was filled with talk of anti-colonialism. Veer Savarkar was my father’s friend.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/bollywood/news-lata-mangeshkars-last-recorded-song-was-not-for-a-movie-watch-video---watch-451048" hreflang="en">Lata Mangeshkar's last recorded song was not for a movie, watch video - Watch</a>

My father had written a play and the songs for the play for Veer Savarkar.Anyway that day when he asked me to come to learn music from him I came and sat in front me. He told me to take out the Tanpura and showed me how to hold it.He asked me to sing in the same raga that I he heard me sing the day before to correct his pupil. That’s how I was initiated into formal singing. He taught me music regularly from that day onwards, though he never had a formal group of students to teach. My elder sister Meena and I learnt music from our father. The other siblings were too young when he died.My brother Hridaynath was only 4 when my father passed away.My father didn’t see me become a playback singer. But he had predicted my success. He was a very good astrologer. He had prophesied to my mother, ‘Lata would become so successful that no one would be able to reach where she was.’ He also predicted that he’d not be alive when I became famous and that I’d look after the entire household.I used to accompany my father during his stage singing. After his death I learnt music from others. But I consider my father my true guru.I don’t think I’d have become a &nbsp;playback singer if my father had lived.He wouldn’t have allowed it.”

KL Saigal: “I never met him. I only saw him in his films. When I arrived in Mumbai in 1945, Saigal Saab left the city. But I idolized him from my childhood. After my father my greatest influence was Saigal Saab in music. I'd sing all his songs. Our family lived in a small town called Sangli. We’d even see his films in the nearby theatre. My father also liked Saigal Saab’s music and films. But although I started singing for films our family had nothing to do with film folks. Saigal Saab passed away in 1947.It is one of my life’s biggest regrets that I never met him.”

Master Ghulam Haider: “There are many versions and stories of who discovered me and who was instrumental in giving me my first big break. Let me tell you the true story. When I came to Mumbai I worked for Master Vinayak. My sister Meena and I stayed with Master Vinayak’s father while the rest of my family lived in my mother’s parents’ home. In 1946 &nbsp;I told Master Vinayak that I needed to live with my family. That’s when we all started living in one home .In 1947 Master Vinayak passed away. Ten days after his death a photographer &nbsp;who worked in his company took me to a music director &nbsp;Harishchandra Vade. He heard me sing and recorded two songs in my voice for a film called 'Love Is Blind'.&nbsp;That film got shelved.

However a junior-artiste supplier, a Pathan, heard me sing. He recommended &nbsp;me to Master Ghulam Haider who has just come from Pakistan. I really respected him for his music in Khazanchi, Shahid, Khandaan , etc. I went to meet him. This was 1947 and I was merely 18. I remember he was recording. He kept me waiting till evening. My cousin sister was with me. He finally called me to sing at around 5 pm. When I went in he was playing the piano. I got frightened when I saw him. I wondered what a music composer who had worked with Noorjehan would think of me. He asked me to sing. I sang one of his songs from the film Humayun. Then he said to sing one more song.I sang a Noorjehan number. Then he wanted to record my voice. During those days songs were record on film. There was no tape. He asked me who my guru was. When I told him it was Amanat Ali Khan Saab he said they were friends. Then Master Ghulam Hyder played my voice to the very successful producer Shashadhar Mukherjee who said, ‘Yeh awaaz nahin chalegi, yeh awaaz bahot patli hai, ’(this voice won’t work, it’s too tinny). Shashadharji needed a playback voice for actress Kamini Kaushal. And he felt my voice didn’t match hers. Master Ghulam Hyder was livid. He ordered me to accompany him to the Bombay Talkies studio in Malad where Majboor was being shot. He was the music composer. He didn’t say anything to me. He just made me rehearse a song. Later when we recorded he said, ‘People will forget everyone including Noorjehan when they hear you.’ &nbsp;The first song he recorded with me was a duet with Mukesh Bhaiyya Angrezi chora chala gaya. This was my first major break. I recorded &nbsp;3-4 songs for Majboor. Composer Khemchand Prakash heard &nbsp;them and signed me for Ziddi. For this film I sang a &nbsp;duet with &nbsp;Kishore Kumar. Then composer Anil Biswas heard me. That’s my musical journey began. The credit for giving me my first major break goes to Master Ghulam Haider. Incidentally Shashadhar Mukherjee later admitted to me he was wrong about my voice and crazy to have rejected my voice. I sang for many of his films including Anarkali and Nagin.

Madan Mohan: “We sang a duet Pinjre mein bulbul bulbul bole together in &nbsp;Shahid &nbsp;for Master Ghulam Haider. That song about a brother and sister singing together, never got released.One day suddenly he came up to me and said, ‘Tum raakhee baandhne nahin aayee mujhe?’ &nbsp;From that day &nbsp;he was my Madan Bhaiyya. I was close not only to him but to his entire family. I am still very close to Madan Bhaiyya’s son Sanjeev Kohli”

Chitragupta: “I was very very close to Chitragupta. We were constantly in and out of one another’s homes. Interestingly Madan Bhaiyya used to live in a bungalow in Khar(Mumbai). I spent many evenings there with him and his family. When he moved out &nbsp;of that bungalow Chitraguptaji &nbsp;moved into the same bungalow.Mehboob Studios was very close to this bungalow.So right after recording at Mehboob I’d rush to spend time at that bungalow first to meet Madan Bhaiyya and then Chitragputaji.I used to meet Chitragupta almost every day, not only in Mumbai but also in other cities like Chennai and Bangalore. We were one big group of friends Chitraguptaji, &nbsp;Dilip Dholakia, my sister Usha. I’d have a meal regularly at his home. Bhabhi(Chitragupta’s wife) made wonderful Bihari &nbsp;food. They would also come regularly.”

Pandit Narendra Sharma: I used to call him ‘Papa’. The first time I met Papa(Pandit Narendra Sharma) it was at &nbsp;Master Vinayak’s residence. He was accompanied by the eminent litterateur Amritlal Nagar. He asked me to sing for for him. During those days I didn’t need a second invitation to sing. I’d burst into a song whenever &nbsp;I was asked. He was a learned man. I’d spend &nbsp;hours listening to him. In 1968 when I recorded the Bhagavat Gita Papa came home to congratulate me. I was anxious about my Sanskrit pronunciation. Papa assured me I had done a good job. Papa stayed in Khar. I’d &nbsp;visit his home. My ties with him and his family were very strong . His 3 daughters were my age . I’d carry extra clothes to his home and stay overnight. His daughters and I would do dhamaal all &nbsp;night. His wife though Gujarati adopted the Uttar Pradesh culture after marriage because Papa was from UP. I just started calling him in Papa. I never heard him saying a &nbsp;bad word about anyone. I met Harivanshrai Bachchan Saab at Papa’s place. They called each &nbsp;other ‘Bandhu’. I don’t think I was so close to anyone outside the family. I discussed all my problems with Papa. He called me daughter but always addressed &nbsp;me as ‘Lataji’. I objected to that. But he persisted. My Maai(mother) would scold me for staying overnight outside our home. But I was staying at my Papa’s house. When he died of a heart attack I was heartbroken. No one could take his place.”

Majrooh Sultanpuri: &nbsp;“He was close not just to me but my entire &nbsp;family. He was also very close to my brother Hridaynath.He wrote an entire poem about my voice. He called me ‘Bibi’ which in Urdu meant a ‘good woman’.

Kishore Kumar: “I tied a rakhi on him just before his death at a concert in London. He came to me early in the morning on raksha bandhan. He sat on the floor and went through all the rituals.”

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/did-you-know-lata-mangeshkar-was-the-first-indian-to-perform-at-londons-royal-albert-hall-450997" hreflang="en">Did you know Lata Mangeshkar was the first Indian to perform at London's Royal Albert Hall?</a>

SD Burman and&nbsp;RD Burman: “Burman Dada was very fond of me. It’s a well-known fact that he made kheer but invited no one to eat except me. He would feed me special paan which was flavoured with dry orange peel...I was very closer to &nbsp;Pancham(R D Burman) than his father. When he married my sister(Asha Bhosle) he told me to write him a letter as a wedding gift which he stored away in his bank locker. I know Pancham was very unhappy in his final years because of the way his career had gone.I had the privilege of singing in his last film as a composer '1942: A Love Story'. He sent me a &nbsp;message to sing. But then he passed away. I sang his sing 'Kuch na kaho' posthumously. Likewise composer Roshan Saab. I was very close to him. One of his songs 'Mehlon ka raja mila'&nbsp;in the film 'Anokhi Raat' was recorded by his wife Ira after Roshan Saab’s death....I was also very close to Mehboob Khan Saab. Wohmujhe bahot pyar karte the. Whenever he got to know &nbsp;I was recording in his studio he would have dry fruits sent for me. He would also invite me for lunch....Salilda(Salil Chowdhary) was also very close to him. Naushad Saab was so close to me that I’d often share my problems with &nbsp;him....Hemantda(singer-composer &nbsp;Hemant Kumar) would invite &nbsp;me home for meals regularly. But I was scared because I was allergic to the mustard oil &nbsp;in which the fish was cooked....Geeta Dutt and I behaved like two school girls when we got together...During those days all of us in the film industry were like one big family.”

Many people, including me, believe God lives in Lataji’s soul and makes His or Her way into her throat and outwards in a divine clasp. When you hear her sing a love song like 'Lag ja gale se'(Who Kaun Thi), 'Raina beeti jaye' (Amar Prem) or 'Main janoon nahin piya se milan kaise hoye ri'(Chand Grahan), you wonder who she addresses the melody to.

Many people, including me, believe God lives in Lataji’s soul and makes His or Her way into her throat and outwards in a divine clasp. When you hear her sing a love song like 'Lag ja gale se'(Who Kaun Thi), 'Raina beeti jaye' (Amar Prem) or 'Main janoon nahin piya se milan kaise hoye ri'(Chand Grahan), you wonder who she addresses the melody to. Could it be the one who created this world? Now she has joined the Creator leaving the world with only her songs for comfort. In a dated interview, the legendary singer had opened up about the people who influenced her life. My father Pandit Dinanath Mangeshkar: “My father was a huge influence in shaping me into the singer that I became. He taught me music. Do you know for a very long time my father didn’t know I could sing.I was scared to sing in front of him. Our domestic helpers were forced to hear me sing.I’d go into the kitchen and make them hear me sing.I’d sing K L Saigal’s and my father’s songs to them. My mother would scold me and shoo me away berating me for wasting her time. Then something happened. A student of my father( who later became the very well-known Maharashtrian actor Chandrakant Gokhale) who was our tenant was doing riyaaz while my father had stepped out. I was playing outside when I heard him sing a bandish . I was around 5 years old.I went inside and told him he was doing it wrong, and I sang it the way I had heard my father sing .My father came back and made me sing it again. I sang and fled.I’d learn from hearing my father sing, though I never had the courage to go and sing with him. But that day after I corrected his student, things changed. The next morning he told me to wake up,wash up and come to his room. I trembled as I got ready. I was petrified of him. He was very conservative and a disciplinarian. All the ladies of the house, young or old, had to sport kum-kum on the forehead and bangles in their hands.We were not allowed to use powder.Those were the days of freedom fighting. Our home was filled with talk of anti-colonialism. Veer Savarkar was my father’s friend. Lata Mangeshkar's last recorded song was not for a movie, watch video - Watch My father had written a play and the songs for the play for Veer Savarkar.Anyway that day when he asked me to come to learn music from him I came and sat in front me. He told me to take out the Tanpura and showed me how to hold it.He asked me to sing in the same raga that I he heard me sing the day before to correct his pupil. That’s how I was initiated into formal singing. He taught me music regularly from that day onwards, though he never had a formal group of students to teach. My elder sister Meena and I learnt music from our father. The other siblings were too young when he died.My brother Hridaynath was only 4 when my father passed away.My father didn’t see me become a playback singer. But he had predicted my success. He was a very good astrologer. He had prophesied to my mother, ‘Lata would become so successful that no one would be able to reach where she was.’ He also predicted that he’d not be alive when I became famous and that I’d look after the entire household.I used to accompany my father during his stage singing. After his death I learnt music from others. But I consider my father my true guru.I don’t think I’d have become a playback singer if my father had lived.He wouldn’t have allowed it.” KL Saigal: “I never met him. I only saw him in his films. When I arrived in Mumbai in 1945, Saigal Saab left the city. But I idolized him from my childhood. After my father my greatest influence was Saigal Saab in music. I'd sing all his songs. Our family lived in a small town called Sangli. We’d even see his films in the nearby theatre. My father also liked Saigal Saab’s music and films. But although I started singing for films our family had nothing to do with film folks. Saigal Saab passed away in 1947.It is one of my life’s biggest regrets that I never met him.” Master Ghulam Haider: “There are many versions and stories of who discovered me and who was instrumental in giving me my first big break. Let me tell you the true story. When I came to Mumbai I worked for Master Vinayak. My sister Meena and I stayed with Master Vinayak’s father while the rest of my family lived in my mother’s parents’ home. In 1946 I told Master Vinayak that I needed to live with my family. That’s when we all started living in one home .In 1947 Master Vinayak passed away. Ten days after his death a photographer who worked in his company took me to a music director Harishchandra Vade. He heard me sing and recorded two songs in my voice for a film called 'Love Is Blind'. That film got shelved. However a junior-artiste supplier, a Pathan, heard me sing. He recommended me to Master Ghulam Haider who has just come from Pakistan. I really respected him for his music in Khazanchi, Shahid, Khandaan , etc. I went to meet him. This was 1947 and I was merely 18. I remember he was recording. He kept me waiting till evening. My cousin sister was with me. He finally called me to sing at around 5 pm. When I went in he was playing the piano. I got frightened when I saw him. I wondered what a music composer who had worked with Noorjehan would think of me. He asked me to sing. I sang one of his songs from the film Humayun. Then he said to sing one more song.I sang a Noorjehan number. Then he wanted to record my voice. During those days songs were record on film. There was no tape. He asked me who my guru was. When I told him it was Amanat Ali Khan Saab he said they were friends. Then Master Ghulam Hyder played my voice to the very successful producer Shashadhar Mukherjee who said, ‘Yeh awaaz nahin chalegi, yeh awaaz bahot patli hai, ’(this voice won’t work, it’s too tinny). Shashadharji needed a playback voice for actress Kamini Kaushal. And he felt my voice didn’t match hers. Master Ghulam Hyder was livid. He ordered me to accompany him to the Bombay Talkies studio in Malad where Majboor was being shot. He was the music composer. He didn’t say anything to me. He just made me rehearse a song. Later when we recorded he said, ‘People will forget everyone including Noorjehan when they hear you.’ The first song he recorded with me was a duet with Mukesh Bhaiyya Angrezi chora chala gaya. This was my first major break. I recorded 3-4 songs for Majboor. Composer Khemchand Prakash heard them and signed me for Ziddi. For this film I sang a duet with Kishore Kumar. Then composer Anil Biswas heard me. That’s my musical journey began. The credit for giving me my first major break goes to Master Ghulam Haider. Incidentally Shashadhar Mukherjee later admitted to me he was wrong about my voice and crazy to have rejected my voice. I sang for many of his films including Anarkali and Nagin. Madan Mohan: “We sang a duet Pinjre mein bulbul bulbul bole together in Shahid for Master Ghulam Haider. That song about a brother and sister singing together, never got released.One day suddenly he came up to me and said, ‘Tum raakhee baandhne nahin aayee mujhe?’ From that day he was my Madan Bhaiyya. I was close not only to him but to his entire family. I am still very close to Madan Bhaiyya’s son Sanjeev Kohli” Chitragupta: “I was very very close to Chitragupta. We were constantly in and out of one another’s homes. Interestingly Madan Bhaiyya used to live in a bungalow in Khar(Mumbai). I spent many evenings there with him and his family. When he moved out of that bungalow Chitraguptaji moved into the same bungalow.Mehboob Studios was very close to this bungalow.So right after recording at Mehboob I’d rush to spend time at that bungalow first to meet Madan Bhaiyya and then Chitragputaji.I used to meet Chitragupta almost every day, not only in Mumbai but also in other cities like Chennai and Bangalore. We were one big group of friends Chitraguptaji, Dilip Dholakia, my sister Usha. I’d have a meal regularly at his home. Bhabhi(Chitragupta’s wife) made wonderful Bihari food. They would also come regularly.” Pandit Narendra Sharma: I used to call him ‘Papa’. The first time I met Papa(Pandit Narendra Sharma) it was at Master Vinayak’s residence. He was accompanied by the eminent litterateur Amritlal Nagar. He asked me to sing for for him. During those days I didn’t need a second invitation to sing. I’d burst into a song whenever I was asked. He was a learned man. I’d spend hours listening to him. In 1968 when I recorded the Bhagavat Gita Papa came home to congratulate me. I was anxious about my Sanskrit pronunciation. Papa assured me I had done a good job. Papa stayed in Khar. I’d visit his home. My ties with him and his family were very strong . His 3 daughters were my age . I’d carry extra clothes to his home and stay overnight. His daughters and I would do dhamaal all night. His wife though Gujarati adopted the Uttar Pradesh culture after marriage because Papa was from UP. I just started calling him in Papa. I never heard him saying a bad word about anyone. I met Harivanshrai Bachchan Saab at Papa’s place. They called each other ‘Bandhu’. I don’t think I was so close to anyone outside the family. I discussed all my problems with Papa. He called me daughter but always addressed me as ‘Lataji’. I objected to that. But he persisted. My Maai(mother) would scold me for staying overnight outside our home. But I was staying at my Papa’s house. When he died of a heart attack I was heartbroken. No one could take his place.” Majrooh Sultanpuri: “He was close not just to me but my entire family. He was also very close to my brother Hridaynath.He wrote an entire poem about my voice. He called me ‘Bibi’ which in Urdu meant a ‘good woman’. Kishore Kumar: “I tied a rakhi on him just before his death at a concert in London. He came to me early in the morning on raksha bandhan. He sat on the floor and went through all the rituals.” Did you know Lata Mangeshkar was the first Indian to perform at London's Royal Albert Hall? SD Burman and RD Burman: “Burman Dada was very fond of me. It’s a well-known fact that he made kheer but invited no one to eat except me. He would feed me special paan which was flavoured with dry orange peel...I was very closer to Pancham(R D Burman) than his father. When he married my sister(Asha Bhosle) he told me to write him a letter as a wedding gift which he stored away in his bank locker. I know Pancham was very unhappy in his final years because of the way his career had gone.I had the privilege of singing in his last film as a composer '1942: A Love Story'. He sent me a message to sing. But then he passed away. I sang his sing 'Kuch na kaho' posthumously. Likewise composer Roshan Saab. I was very close to him. One of his songs 'Mehlon ka raja mila' in the film 'Anokhi Raat' was recorded by his wife Ira after Roshan Saab’s death....I was also very close to Mehboob Khan Saab. Wohmujhe bahot pyar karte the. Whenever he got to know I was recording in his studio he would have dry fruits sent for me. He would also invite me for lunch....Salilda(Salil Chowdhary) was also very close to him. Naushad Saab was so close to me that I’d often share my problems with him....Hemantda(singer-composer Hemant Kumar) would invite me home for meals regularly. But I was scared because I was allergic to the mustard oil in which the fish was cooked....Geeta Dutt and I behaved like two school girls when we got together...During those days all of us in the film industry were like one big family.”

Lata Mangeshkar on the people who influenced her life

India has lost its voice today. Lata Mangeshkar, 'the nightingale of India', is no more. It's a void that will never be filled by anyone - in any generation. &nbsp;Mangeshkar's seven-decade career in Indian cinema, having sung over 50,000 songs in over 20 Indian languages is both enviable and inspiring. Having inspired generations of musicians, Mangeshkar leaves behind a tall legacy of songs that will remain timeless for years to come.&nbsp; 
 
How to write about a legend who influenced more than five generations, who in her lifetime inspired artists not only in India but worldwide, who was at one point the most formidable name in music in the subcontinent? No words will suffice what Lata Mangeshkar was to India and Indian music.&nbsp; 
 
Born in 1929 to Shevanti and Deenanath Mangeshkar, Lata&nbsp;was the eldest among her five siblings - Meena, Asha, Usha, and Hridaynath who are all accomplished singers and musicians.&nbsp; 
 
Lata Mangeshkar was exposed to music and theatre from an early age as her father was a classical singer and theatre actor. She made her stage debut at the young age of 5 in one of her father's plays and was trained in classical music at home by her father.&nbsp; 
 
Life took an unexpected turn for Lata in 1942 when at 13, she lost her father. Being the eldest among her siblings, Lata took it upon herself to become the primary breadwinner of the family. A close friend of the Mangeshkar family helped Lata start a career as a singer and an actress in the film industry.&nbsp; 
 
Lata sang the song 'Naachu Yaa Gade, Khelu Saari Mani Haus Bhaari', in the Marathi movie 'Kiti Hasaal' in 1942 but the song was dropped from the final cut. 
 
The same year, she did a small role in Navyug Chitrapat's Marathi movie 'Pahili Mangalaa-gaur'. The following year, she sang&nbsp;her first Hindi song 'Mata Ek Sapoot Ki Duniya Badal De Tu' for the Marathi film 'Gajaabhaau'. 
 
In 1945, she moved to Mumbai from Indore and started learning Hindustani classical music from Ustad Aman Ali Khan of Bhindibazaar Gharana. Around the same time, Lata and her sister Asha played small parts in a movie called 'Badi Maa.'&nbsp; 
 
She tasted success for the first time in 1949 when she sang 'Aayega Aanewaala' for the movie 'Mahal'. The song was composed by Khemchand Prakash and picturised on actors&nbsp;Madhubala and Ashok Kumar.&nbsp; 
 
There was no turning back for Lata after this. With the song gaining immense popularity, offers for playback started pouring in for the singer who in the 1950s became one of the most sought after in the film industry - a feat that remained for decades to come.&nbsp; 
 
She had successful collaborations with a number of composers in the 1950s. From Naushad to Shankar Jaikishan to Madan Mohan to SD Burman- Lata sang for almost all the leading composers of that time and almost all her songs were super hits. &nbsp;'Aaja Re Pardesi' from 'Madhumati', 'Ichak Dana Bichak Dana' from 'Shri 420', 'Yaad Kiya Dil Ne Kaha' from 'Patita' were some of the hits that Lata sang in the 1950s.&nbsp; 
 
The following decades were completely ruled by Lata Mangeshkar. Of course, there were other singers - most prominent among them was Geeta Dutt and Lata's younger sister Asha Bhosle- but the range and versatility that Lata had were unmatched. The 1960s saw her singing the mammoth hit 'Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kya' for 'Mughal-e-Azam', 'Kaheen Deep Jale Aana', 'Piya Tose Naina Lage Re' from 'Guide' to name a few.&nbsp;

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Lata is one of those rare singers who has worked for generations of stars. She was a frequent collaborator with SD Burman as well as his son RD Burman. She also did playback for actress Tanuja and decades later for her daughter Kajol, actress Dimple Kapadia and her daughter Twinkle Khanna.&nbsp; 
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Someone had rightly said that the real heroine of the cult classic <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X-40R7SfXJ4">'Pakeezah' was Lata Mangeshkar. </a>The film, based on a courtesan's life, featured Meena Kumari and had soulful music composed by Ghulam Mohammed and Naushad and all the songs were sung by Lata Mangeshkar who breathed in magic in each of the songs that are remembered till date.&nbsp; 
 
In 1990, Lata launched her own production house and produced Gulzar’s movie 'Lekin' (1990). The film fetched the songstress&nbsp;her third National Film Award as a best female playback singer for the song 'Yaara Seeli Seeli'. The song was composed by her younger brother Hridaynath.

A cricket enthusiast, Lata Mangeshkar reportedly had one of the boxes at the Lord's Cricket Stadium in London permanently booked under her name. Her favourite cricketer was Sachin Tendulkar who shared a close bond with the singer.&nbsp; 
 
Lata Mangeshkar attended the historic World Cup final in 1983 at Lord’s which the Indian team had won. She had helped the BCCI raise funds to reward the winning team by organising and performing at a concert in Delhi. With the earnings, the board was able to give Rs 1 lakh to each player as a reward.&nbsp; 
 
Having ruled Indian film music for decades, Lata Mangeshkar cut down on her work from the 1990s and became selective with her projects. Some of her recent work included collaboration with AR Rahman in 'Dil Se' in 1998 and 'Rang De Basanti' in 2006, and Yash Chopra's 'Veer Zara' in 2007 where she did the playback for Preity Zinta.&nbsp;

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Through her timeless songs- Lata Mangeshkar represented India. She cannot be only called a Hindi film singer because she sang in almost all languages in Indian films. Honoured with international awards, and India's highest civilian honour Bharat Ratna, Mangeshkar was an institution in herself - with teachers, musicians and students seeking inspiration from her style of singing, her range and her life.&nbsp; 
 
She lived a private life in the later years, away from the limelight but would often speak up for various causes related to musicians. She had lent her support when Javed Akhtar and Sonu Nigam had spearheaded a campaign for artists to get a royalty for songs. She would connect with fans via Twitter from to time and was vocal about displeasure over the remix culture.&nbsp; 
 
A line from one of her hits from the 'Kinara', 'Naam Gum Jayega' &nbsp;perhaps describes her the best. '....Naam Gum Jayega, Chehra Ye Badal Jayega, Meri Awaaz Hi Pehchaan Hai, Gar Yaad Rahe....' (Name will be forgotten, faces will be forgotten, if you can recall, remember my voice) 
 
Rest in power, Lata Ji. Make heaven sing along with you.&nbsp;

India has lost its voice today. Lata Mangeshkar, 'the nightingale of India', is no more. It's a void that will never be filled by anyone - in any generation. Mangeshkar's seven-decade career in Indian cinema, having sung over 50,000 songs in over 20 Indian languages is both enviable and inspiring.

India has lost its voice today. Lata Mangeshkar, 'the nightingale of India', is no more. It's a void that will never be filled by anyone - in any generation. Mangeshkar's seven-decade career in Indian cinema, having sung over 50,000 songs in over 20 Indian languages is both enviable and inspiring. Having inspired generations of musicians, Mangeshkar leaves behind a tall legacy of songs that will remain timeless for years to come. How to write about a legend who influenced more than five generations, who in her lifetime inspired artists not only in India but worldwide, who was at one point the most formidable name in music in the subcontinent? No words will suffice what Lata Mangeshkar was to India and Indian music. Born in 1929 to Shevanti and Deenanath Mangeshkar, Lata was the eldest among her five siblings - Meena, Asha, Usha, and Hridaynath who are all accomplished singers and musicians. Lata Mangeshkar was exposed to music and theatre from an early age as her father was a classical singer and theatre actor. She made her stage debut at the young age of 5 in one of her father's plays and was trained in classical music at home by her father. Life took an unexpected turn for Lata in 1942 when at 13, she lost her father. Being the eldest among her siblings, Lata took it upon herself to become the primary breadwinner of the family. A close friend of the Mangeshkar family helped Lata start a career as a singer and an actress in the film industry. Lata sang the song 'Naachu Yaa Gade, Khelu Saari Mani Haus Bhaari', in the Marathi movie 'Kiti Hasaal' in 1942 but the song was dropped from the final cut. The same year, she did a small role in Navyug Chitrapat's Marathi movie 'Pahili Mangalaa-gaur'. The following year, she sang her first Hindi song 'Mata Ek Sapoot Ki Duniya Badal De Tu' for the Marathi film 'Gajaabhaau'. In 1945, she moved to Mumbai from Indore and started learning Hindustani classical music from Ustad Aman Ali Khan of Bhindibazaar Gharana. Around the same time, Lata and her sister Asha played small parts in a movie called 'Badi Maa.' She tasted success for the first time in 1949 when she sang 'Aayega Aanewaala' for the movie 'Mahal'. The song was composed by Khemchand Prakash and picturised on actors Madhubala and Ashok Kumar. There was no turning back for Lata after this. With the song gaining immense popularity, offers for playback started pouring in for the singer who in the 1950s became one of the most sought after in the film industry - a feat that remained for decades to come. She had successful collaborations with a number of composers in the 1950s. From Naushad to Shankar Jaikishan to Madan Mohan to SD Burman- Lata sang for almost all the leading composers of that time and almost all her songs were super hits. 'Aaja Re Pardesi' from 'Madhumati', 'Ichak Dana Bichak Dana' from 'Shri 420', 'Yaad Kiya Dil Ne Kaha' from 'Patita' were some of the hits that Lata sang in the 1950s. The following decades were completely ruled by Lata Mangeshkar. Of course, there were other singers - most prominent among them was Geeta Dutt and Lata's younger sister Asha Bhosle- but the range and versatility that Lata had were unmatched. The 1960s saw her singing the mammoth hit 'Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kya' for 'Mughal-e-Azam', 'Kaheen Deep Jale Aana', 'Piya Tose Naina Lage Re' from 'Guide' to name a few. Lata is one of those rare singers who has worked for generations of stars. She was a frequent collaborator with SD Burman as well as his son RD Burman. She also did playback for actress Tanuja and decades later for her daughter Kajol, actress Dimple Kapadia and her daughter Twinkle Khanna. Someone had rightly said that the real heroine of the cult classic 'Pakeezah' was Lata Mangeshkar. The film, based on a courtesan's life, featured Meena Kumari and had soulful music composed by Ghulam Mohammed and Naushad and all the songs were sung by Lata Mangeshkar who breathed in magic in each of the songs that are remembered till date. In 1990, Lata launched her own production house and produced Gulzar’s movie 'Lekin' (1990). The film fetched the songstress her third National Film Award as a best female playback singer for the song 'Yaara Seeli Seeli'. The song was composed by her younger brother Hridaynath. A cricket enthusiast, Lata Mangeshkar reportedly had one of the boxes at the Lord's Cricket Stadium in London permanently booked under her name. Her favourite cricketer was Sachin Tendulkar who shared a close bond with the singer. Lata Mangeshkar attended the historic World Cup final in 1983 at Lord’s which the Indian team had won. She had helped the BCCI raise funds to reward the winning team by organising and performing at a concert in Delhi. With the earnings, the board was able to give Rs 1 lakh to each player as a reward. Having ruled Indian film music for decades, Lata Mangeshkar cut down on her work from the 1990s and became selective with her projects. Some of her recent work included collaboration with AR Rahman in 'Dil Se' in 1998 and 'Rang De Basanti' in 2006, and Yash Chopra's 'Veer Zara' in 2007 where she did the playback for Preity Zinta. Through her timeless songs- Lata Mangeshkar represented India. She cannot be only called a Hindi film singer because she sang in almost all languages in Indian films. Honoured with international awards, and India's highest civilian honour Bharat Ratna, Mangeshkar was an institution in herself - with teachers, musicians and students seeking inspiration from her style of singing, her range and her life. She lived a private life in the later years, away from the limelight but would often speak up for various causes related to musicians. She had lent her support when Javed Akhtar and Sonu Nigam had spearheaded a campaign for artists to get a royalty for songs. She would connect with fans via Twitter from to time and was vocal about displeasure over the remix culture. A line from one of her hits from the 'Kinara', 'Naam Gum Jayega' perhaps describes her the best. '....Naam Gum Jayega, Chehra Ye Badal Jayega, Meri Awaaz Hi Pehchaan Hai, Gar Yaad Rahe....' (Name will be forgotten, faces will be forgotten, if you can recall, remember my voice) Rest in power, Lata Ji. Make heaven sing along with you.

Remembering Lata Mangeshkar (1929-2022): A voice of generations

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Lata Mangeshkar on the people who influenced her life

Remembering Lata Mangeshkar (1929-2022): A voice of generations