The Maharashtra government announced on Wednesday that a music academy will be built in Mumbai in memory of legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar, who passed away on Sunday at the age of 92. According to sources, Lata Mangeshkar Sangeet Academy will be built in the Kalina Campus of Mumbai University. The singer’s last rites were performed at the Shivaji Park in Mumbai on Sunday evening. She was laid to rest with full state honours.
A couple of days back, Bharatiya Janta Party MLA Ram Kadam had written a letter to Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, requesting him to dedicate a memorial to the late singer at the Shivaji Park. At present, there is a Balasaheb Thackeray memorial at Shivaji Park and the politician has asked one for the legendary singer as well. His letter read, “After India’s greatest singer Lata didi has been laid to rest at Shivaji Park, a more fitting tribute to the nation’s pride will be to have a memorial dedicated to Lataji at the very same iconic ground. This has been a growing chorus amongst millions of Lataji’s fans worldwide. A memorial can serve as an emotional place where fans can pay homage to her.”
Meanwhile, Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Monday announced the setting up of an academy, a music school and a museum at her birthplace Indore. Chouhan said, “Lataji was born in Indore. We have decided to establish an academy in Indore so that kids can engage in sur-sadhna. A music school will be established and a museum will be shaped in the city. We will discuss the format of the museum in consultation with other music maestros.”
Announcing that the Lata Mangeshkar award will be offered on the occasion of her birthday every year, Chouhan claimed Indore city will have a statue of the singer.
Regarded as one of Indian cinema’s greatest playback singers, Mangeshkar started her career at the age of 13 in 1942 and has sung over 30,000 songs in various Indian languages. In her over a seven-decade career, she has been the voice behind various memorable tracks such as “Ajeeb dastan hai ye”, “Pyar kiya to darna kya”, “Neela asman so gaya”, and “Tere liye”, among others.
