Legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar passed away in Mumbai on Sunday morning. She was 92. Confirming the news to News18.com, her sister Usha Mangeshkar said, “Lata didi has passed away. I am at the hospital.” Known as the ‘Nightingale of India,’ had tested positive for COVID-19 with mild symptoms on January 8 and was undergoing treatment at a city hospital in Mumbai for a month. She is survived by her 3 sisters – Usha Mangeshkar, Asha Bhosle, Meena Khadikar – and brother Hridaynath Mangeshkar.
Mangeshkar was admitted to the ICU of Breach Candy hospital and was being treated for COVID-19 and pneumonia by Dr. Pratit Samdani and his team of doctors She had recovered from on January 30 and was showing improvement until last week but her health deteriorated and she was put back on ventilator support on Saturday morning. Many eminent personalities including actor Shraddha Kapoor Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray, Union Minister Piyush Goyal, filmmaker Madhur Bhandarkar, and NCP leader Supriya Sule went to check on the singer.
Her family members, including Asha Bhonsle who is Lata’s younger sister, visited Lata at the Breach Candy Hospital in Mumbai on Saturday. On Saturday, speaking with the media gathered outside the hospital, Asha said the doctors treating her have informed Asha that Lata is stable. “Doctor has said she’s stable. There is an improvement,” she said. On Saturday evening, Lata and Asha’s younger brother Hridaynath Mangeshkar was also spotted. When the press asked him about an update on Lata’s condition, he said, “Wo theek hai (she is better now).”
In November 2019, Mangeshkar had been admitted to the same hospital after she complained of difficulty in breathing and was diagnosed with pneumonia. She was discharged after a month.
Born in Indore, Mangeshkar remained the voice of screen idols for generations. She began her career at the age of 13 in 1942 and had sung over 30,000 songs in several Indian languages in over seven decade-long career. She was awarded the Bharat Ratna, the highest civilian honour in 2001. She was also the recipient of several awards including Padma Bhushan, Padma Vibhushan, Dada Saheb Phalke Award, and multiple National Film Awards.
In her decades-spanning career, she worked with several music directors like Madan Mohan, SD Burman, RD Burman, Shankar-Jaikishan, Laxmikant-Pyarelal, OP Nayyar to name a few. Not just this, she has lent her voice to many female stars like Nargis, Waheeda Rehman, Asha Parekh, Sridevi, Madhuri Dixit, Kajol, Preity Zinta, Katrina Kaif and many others.
Her mortal remains will be taken to Mumbai’s Shivaji Park where the singer’s family will let friends and fans pay homage before the last rites.
