RIP Lata Mangeshkar: How the 92-year-old iconic singer went on to become 'Nightingale of India'

Mumbai, Feb 06: Lata Mangeshkar born as Hema Mangeshkar (28 September 1929) was an Indian playback singer and occasional music composer.

She was widely considered as one of the greatest and most respected playback singers in India.

Her contribution to Indian music industry in a career spanning seven decades has gained her honorific titles such as the Nightingale of India and Queen of Melody.

Lata has recorded songs in over thirty-six Indian languages and few foreign languages, though primarily in Hindi and Marathi. She broke all records by crooning 30,000 songs back in 1960s itself. She won the Guiness World Record for it too.

She has received several accolades and honors throughout her career. In 1989, The Dadasaheb Phalke Award was bestowed on her by the Government of India.

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 M. S. Subbulakshmi, to receive this honour.

France conferred on her its highest civilian award, the Officer of the Legion of Honour, in 2007.

She is the recipient of three National Film Awards, 15 Bengal Film Journalists' Association Awards, four Filmfare Best Female Playback Awards, two Filmfare Special Awards, Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award and many more. In 1974, she became the first Indian to perform at the Royal Albert Hall, London.

Lata Mangeshkar was born on 28th September, 1929 in a place called Indore. Her father Dinanath Mangeshkar was a renowned classical singer himself. Lata was introduced to music at a very young age. The life history of Lata Mangeshkar is truly fascinating.