The Nightingale of India or also known as Swar Kokila, Lata Mangeshkar has been one of the most prominent singers and artists of India. The singer who recently passed away at the age of 92 has had a rich and legendary contribution to the music and cinema world. She earned the highest civilian honors and many awards. In her career, which lasted for more than 80 years, Lata Mangeshkar gave her magical voice to thousands of songs. Let’s acknowledge some lesser-known facts about Lata Mangeshkar:
Born and brought up in Indore
Lata Mangeshkar was born on 28th September 1929 to Pandit Deenanath Mangeshkar and Shevanti. Lata Mangeskar was born in Indore, Madhya Pradesh, and spent her early years in the city.
Shevanthi was not the first wife of his father
Lata Mangeshkar’s mother Shevanthi was not the first wife of his father Dinanath Mangeshkar. Lata Mangeshkar’s maternal aunt Narmad was her father’s first wife. After her demise, Dinanath married Shevanthi in 1927.
Who was Lata Ji’s Guru
Lata Mangeshkar started her music training under Aman Ali Khan Sahib and Amanat Khan.
Her first performance was in 1938
She made her first public performance in the year 1938 when she performed at Nutan Theatre, Sholapur. She was only 9 and she had sung two Marathi songs and Raag Khambavati.
Do you know her first name?
She was named Hema at the time of birth. but later her name was changed to Lata. It was inspired by Latika, a character from her father’s plays- BhavBandhan.
Music Teacher
She was a school dropout and took school only for one day. She had started teaching music to fellow students after which she got a scolding from the teachers. She never went back to school after that.
When She had started her music career
She started her music career in the 1940s and she has recorded nearly 36000 songs till now.
Became a brave girl after her father’s demise
After the demise of her father, she acted in eight films. From 1942 to1948, she acted in films so she could support her family.
Sashadhar Mukherjee had rejected her
Filmmaker Sashadhar Mukherjee had rejected her as a vocalist for his film Shaheed’ (1948) as he felt her voice was“too thin”.
first National Award
She received her first National Award for the songs in the movie- ‘Parichay’.
Raj Kapoor offered her a movie
The 1978 film Satyam Shivam Sundaram is supposedly inspired by Lata Mangeshkar’s life. Raj Kapoor wanted to cast her in the film.
Dadasaheb Phalke Award
Lata Mangeshkar received Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 1989. She was honored with Padma Bhushan in 1969, by the Government of India. In 1999, she won the civilian honor Padma Vibhushan. In 2001, she was honored with the highest civilian award in India- the Bharat Ratna.
