Fondly known as Didi and the Nightingale of India, Lata Mangeshkar turns 87 today. A name in herself and second to none, Lataji today has slowly slipped away from the limelight. In the glamorous singing sensations of today, she is like a soft petal with her sweet and calm voice.
Not many know about the struggles and hardships of this woman of steel. Let's take a close look at the biggest singing sensation and talent of India, Lata Mangeshkar.
At her birth, Lata was named "Hema". Later the name was changed to Lata after a female character, Latika, who played the role of a bold female in her father's drama, BhaawBandhan.
Lata Mangeshkar lost her father at a very young age, thus making the family depend on Lata to support them financially. Lata then started working in the movies and acted in as many as eight films from 1942 to 1948. The singer was debuted in Marathi films, but unfortunately, the song was scrapped out. She was later rejected on account of a thin voice because at that time singers with heavy voice such as Shamshad Begum and Zohrabai Ambalewali were the sensation. Later, it was Ghulam Haider who saw the potential and valued the voice of Lata, thus giving her a chance to sing in his movie, Majboor.
Ghulam Haider met Lata personally to know more about this singing talent. It was other directors and producers who rejected Lata on account of her thin voice and also asked Ghulam to reject her. However, Gulam promised himself to establish Lata’s voice in Bollywood and changed the directors and producers on the same. Song, "Aayega Aanewaala" was a super duper hit of Lata and soon she started bagging singing assignments and rose to the top as a Bollywood singer.
Lata took regular lessons from her father and at the age of five; the girl began to work as an actress in her father's musical plays in Marathi. On the first day of the school, she started teaching music to other kids in the premises. When the teacher stopped her from doing so, she was so angry that she stopped coming to school from the next day.
Lata Mangeshkar holds the Guinness Book of World Records from 1974 to 1991 for having the highest number of recordings in the world over the period of 1948 to 1974. Lata had approximately sung 25,000 solo, duet, and chorus-backed songs in 20 different Indian languages.
Lata Mangeshkar has won several awards and recognitions, which include India’s highest civilian award, Bharat Ratna award, the Padma Bhushan (1969), Padma Vibhushan (1999), NTR National Award (1999), Bharat Ratna (2001), the Dadasaheb Phalke Award (1989), Maharashtra Bhushan Award (1997), ANR National Award (2009), three National Film Awards, and 12 Bengal Film Journalists' Association Awards. Lata was also credited with "One Time Award for Lifetime Achievement" honor to commemorate the 60th anniversary of India's independence in 2008.
She has also won four Filmfare Best Female Playback Awards. In 1969, she made the unusual gesture of giving up the Filmfare Best Female Playback Award, to promote fresh talent. She was later awarded the Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award in 1993. In 1984, the State Government of Madhya Pradesh instituted the Lata Mangeshkar Award in honor of Lata Mangeshkar. Apart from all these, perfume, Lata Eau de Parfum, was originated in 1999 in recognition of this reputed Indian singer.
Lata Mangeshkar has never been married and keeps her personal life extremely closed. She is the eldest among the siblings and has maintained a close relation with her family and friends. Apart from singing, Lata Mangeshkar is an ardent reader and loves photography and cricket.
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