Lata Mangeshkar composed music for the first time in 1955 for movie “Ram Ram Pavhane”. Later in 1960s, she composed music for following Marathi movies under the pseudonym of “Anand Ghan”.

* 1950 - Ram Ram Pavhana
* 1963 - Maratha Tituka Melvava
* 1963 - Mohityanchi Manjula
* 1965 - Sadhi Manase
* 1969 - Tambadi Mati

She won Maharashtra State Government’s Best Music Director Award for the film Sadhi Manase. The song Airanichya deva tula from the same film received best song award.

• Acting

Lata Mangeshkar has acted in nine films:

* 1942 - Pahili Mangalagaur (Marathi)
* 1943 - Chimukla Sansaar (Marathi)
* 1943 - Maajhe Baal (Marathi)
* 1944 - Gajabhau (Marathi)
* 1945 - Badi Maa (Hindi)
* 1946 - Jeevan Yaatra
* 1946 - Subhadra
* 1948 - Mandir
* 1953 - Chattrapati Shivaji (Hindi-Marathi dual release), guest appearance in one song
* 2000 - Pukar (guest appearance in song Ek Tu Hi Bharosa)

• Production

Lata Mangeshkar has produced four films:

* 1953 - Vaadal (Marathi)
* 1953 - Jhaanjhar (Hindi), co-produced with C. Ramchandra
* 1955 - Kanchan (Hindi)
* 1990 - Lekin (Hindi)

The Board of Cricket Control in India (BCCI) has invited the Bharat Ratan awardee on the silver jubilee celebration of the world cup triumph to be held in Delhi on Sunday. The legendary singer, however, refused the invitation citing ill health.

Although she admits that neither she can forget the world cup final nor her 1983 concert in the capital, which she did to raise funds for winning team.

The jubilation ceremony is meant to partially thank her for her special concert that had helped pool Rs 20 lakh for Kapil Dev’s troops in 1983.

She reminisces, “I had invited Kapil Dev and his players for a dinner before the match in the hotel where I stayed. I wished them all the best and after that our team created history.”

At that time she was in London for a concert. But, her heart beat at the ground of Lord’s. She was desperate to watch the final as Indian cricketers won the semi-final against England. Mangeshkar smiles, “after clinching the trophy, Dev invited me for a dinner with the Indian team in London. I did go there and congratulated them.”

After she was back in India, she agreed for a concert without taking any money in lieu, the due amount for her performance was meant for the fund to reward the Indian winners. Mangeshkar tells, “the duration of the concert was four hours and all the team members sung a song, specially composed by my brother Hridaynath Mangeshkar along with me. I remember, Sunil Gavaskar and Dev stood beside me.”

Two decades later, Jagmohan Dalmiya who headed BCCI in 2003, repaid the debt to Lata by a fund raising match for her Pune hospital. The match was held after 2003 world cup when Saurav Ganguly led Indian team reached in the final.

“The duration of the concert was 4 hours. I remember that all the members of the team have sung a song with me specially composed by my brother Hridaynath. Sunil Gavaskar and Kapil Dev were standing besides me.” remembers the melody queen.

“After winning the trophy Kapil Dev has invited me for a dinner with the Indian team in London. I went there for a while and congratulated the team.” she said.

She told that after that concert in Delhi she had to flew back to London for a show thus could not get a chance to meet the players.

When asked about her favourite player, she said, “undoubtedly Sunil Gavaskar. He was the number one. Kapil is also amongst my favourite and how can I forget Sachin. He is the god of cricket. He is favourite of all cricket lovers.” said Lata.

Lata still has that enthusiasm and love for cricket. She watches all the matches of Indian team and defeat still upsets her a lot.

“Team India lost in first round in 2007 world cup. I felt very bad but it is pars and parcel of the game. I followed IPL also and backed Mumbai Indians for obvious reasons.” she said.

She finds the changes in the game in these 25 years are for the better.

“Why cricket only, everything has changed, including music. I don’t see any harm in it. It is natural and good.”

Which song of hers would she like to dedicate to the 1983 World Cup winners? “It has to be Vande Mataram,” she says.

Since Tapan Sinha is not in the best of health, the Governor of West Bengal would confer the award to him at his residence in Kolkata along with I & B Minister Priya Ranjan Dasmunshi. President of India, Pratibha Patil would be honoring the remaining 3 personalities at a later date. While Lata Mangeshkar and Dilip Kumar really need no introduction, filmmaker Tapan Sinha is mostly known for his films like Kabuliwala, Uphaar and Safed Haathi. On the other hand, Saroja Devi is a popular actress down South having acted in quite a few Tamil, Malayalam, and Telugu films in the 50’s and 60’s.

Lata Mangeshkar Award was also instituted by Maharashtra Government in 1992, first recipient of this award was Manik Verma for her outstanding contribution in singing.

The grand final was held in Andheri Sports Complex, Mumbai on Saturday evening. The finale was attended by celebrities like actress Madhuri Dixit and legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar with Usha Mangeshkar.

Shaan hosted the event, Madhuri sang a few lines from her upcoming movie release Aaja Nachle and Lata Mangeshkar blessed the contestants.

By 1947, as India looked forward to finding its own identity as an Independant nation, Lataji would gift India its voice. Her first Hindi song Pa Lagoon Kar Jori for a ” Hindi ” film was released. The film, Aap Ki Sewa Mein.
It was after India’s losses in the India-China war in 1962 that a young Lata had sung the song, “Aye Mere Watan Ke Logon, Zara Aankh Me Bhar Lo Pani”. The song, written by Kavi Pradeep, moved the then Indian Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, to tears and he confessed “Beti toone mujhe rula diya.”It is at this time when the Pakistani Prime Minister said that he would gladly exchange Lata for Kashmir” such is the aura of Lata Mangeshkar. Lata is a legend in her lifetime and undeniably the best singer India has ever produced. As renowned Classical singer Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan said for lata “Kambakht Galti Se Bhi Kabhi Besura Nahi Gati”. Her contribution to making music popular throughout India and the world is incalculable and she has reigned supreme all through the last six decades. Music director Ghulam Haider introduced her Bombay Talkies which was to be her stepping stone to the big time. Over the years, she was won the hearts of millions of music lovers, and according to the Guiness Book of Records, she has rendered more songs than any artiste anywhere in the world, over 30,000 is the book’s estimate.

Apart from her film songs, Lata Mangeshkar has personally adapted the works of leading Marathi poets and set them to music for private recordings. She has recorded devotional songs by Sant Tukara, and her recording of the Bhagwat in Sanskrit is recognised as her crowning achievement.

Her most famous non-film song is Aye Mere Waton Ke Logo tuned by C. Ramchandra and written by poet Pradeep, it was this song that had brought tears in the eyes of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru..

Her first Hindi song(but in a Marathi Film)1943 - Gajabhau (maata ek sapoot ki duniya badal de tu…)Vinayak Rao was happy with Lata’s performance and signed her as a staff artiste on a monthly salary of Rs. 60. It was increased to Rs. 350 by the time Vinayak died in 1947.In 1945 the company shifted its headquarters to Bombay. Lata moved out into the big city.

It was then Lata met Amanat Ali Khan Bhindibazarwala, a classical scholar who accepted her as a disciple. In Badi Maa (1945),starring Noorjehan, Lata acted, sang for herself and for younger sister Asha. When Pakistan was created, Amanat Ali left India. Thereafter, she also became the pupil of Ustad Amanat Khan Devaswale. For some time Pandit Tulsidas Sharma, who was a pupil of Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali, also trained her.

Late Mangeshkar has never hesitated to help budding music directors by offering to render playbacks for them, and in the past five decades, there must be very few, indeed, who have not benefited from Lata’s great talent. She has sung in virtually all Indian languages with equal success. She has also composed music for some films, with the adopted name of Anand Ghar. They were Ram Ram Pahune, Mohityanchi Manjula, Maratha Tituka Melwawa, Sadhi Manse and Tambadi Ati. She acted in Pahili Mangala Gaur, Majhe Baal, Gaja Bhau, Badi Maa, Jeevan Yara, Samudra Mandir. She produced Marathi and Hindi films like Wadal (Marathi), Kanchan (Hindi) and Lekin (Hindi).

Born on 28th September, 1929 in Indore Madhya Pradesh, Lata hails from a singers family. Her father ‘ Dinanath Mangeshkar’ was a play back singer and owned a theatrical company and her sister Asha Bhosle remind her sole competitor still the 90’s. Lata took her first music lessons from her father at the age of 5 and also studied with Aman Ali Khan Sahib and later Amanat Khan. Following her father’s death in 1942 and the burden of supporting the family forced Lata to choose the singing profession at the very early age of 16. She started her singing career by the movie Kiti Hasal in 1942. In the later coming years, she also played miscellaneous roles from a producer to composer and actress for various films.

She has been defying the law of gravity for more than 50 years by staying firmly ensconced in her position, as though age has bypassed her. Lata sang innumerable songs in her awesome repertoire which cannot be denied either on merit or success and songs that contributed to shaping one of the greatest success stories of the 20th Century. Whether she sang Madhubala to eternal fame with Ayega aanewala in Mahal at the age of 20, or at 44, she immortalized Dimple Kapadia by singing Hum tum ek kamre mein band hon in Bobby or at 69, Dimple’s daughter Twinkle attained an aura of stardom when Lata sang Madhosh dil ki dhadkan for her in Jab Pyar Kissise Hota Hai and a barely a year later, Preity Zinta swung and sang into action with Jiya jale in Dil Se. There is a halo of youthfulness around her. In her body language. Her sense of humor. The timbre of impishness in her voice, which lends itself so naturally to a Tabu (Hu Tu Tu) or a Manisha Koirala (Kachche Dhaage) even today at 74, Lata continues to exude the magic that has made her a legend and gives her voice with the same volume and melody to the actresses who are 1/3rd of her age as she did back in her young age. The telephone rings persistently with people calling to congratulate her on her latest achievement.

Lata Mangeshkar has sang in more than 500 films and for many Lata is the most admired singer. Along with singing, Lata also acted in 8 movies between 1942 and 1948 and her last movie being Chachha Zindabad in 1955. She also composed for the movie Sadhi Manse in 1965 and produced the movie Lekin in 1990. Lata Mangeshkar at 74 is a milestone and a speed-breaker. The breakneck pace at which music is written, rehearsed, rendered and recorded makes Lata a helpless giantess. For Lata, music is a kalpavruksh (a lush tree) whose every branch is covered with beautiful flowers and rich, green leaves. It was after India’s losses in the India-China war in 1962 that a young Lata had sung the song, “Ai Mere Watan Ke Logon, Zara Aankh Me Bhar Lo Pani” the song, written by Kavi Pradeep, moved many heartening people into tears and still remains to be one of the most patriotic song sung by her.

From early on Lata was recognized as being highly gifted musically, and her natural talent meant that she could master the vocal exercises effortlessly on first pass and marked her entrance into music world by competing with the strong and powerful voices of 1940s like Noorjehan, Shamshad Begum and Zohrabai Ambalewali and faced set backs. Lata was even rejected for Shaheed (1948) by producer S. Mukherjee who complained that her voice was too thin, but in 1949 broke with series of hits and particularly the song titled “Aaega Aanewaalaa” from Mahal, really struck home with the nation. By 1950, Mangeshkar’s high-pitched singing style had changed the industry and practically swept away the career of all the existing female singers of that era and dominated the industry till the late 1950s single handedly. With the rise of her sister Asha Bhosle in late 1950s both revolutionized the music world and remained the queens of Indian playback singing up until the 1990s.

Her phenomenal success made Lata the most powerful woman in the Film Industry and nothing stopped Lata from being the best. she rendered obsolete the heavy nasal voices of the day and in search of perfection she even learned Urdu by hiring a tutor. After working with stalwarlts like Madan Mohan, Sajjad Hussain, S. D. Burman, Laxmikant-Pyarelal and R. D. Burman, Lata feels that today the music is not so encouraging. These days she sings more of classical based songs and restrains herself from singing in obscenity songs.

The evidence of Lata Mangeshkar’s contribution comes from the various trophies and awards she has received. She received several doctorates from various universities varying from Pune University to New York University. Awards like Padma Bushan, Padma Vibushan and the no less prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke award in 1990 are the feathers in her Crown. Recently, she was awarded the ‘Bharatha Rathna’ - the highest civilian honor by the Government of India.

Lata has gradually eased herself out of the rat-race of playback singing, though she does sing an occasional number and she no longer needs to announce her retirement from films. Hindustani cinema has itself announced how much need it now has for her. There were those moments of high anguish when Lata felt diminished by the departure of contemporaries like Geeta Dutt, Mukesh, Mohammed Rafi, Kishore Kumar and Hemant Kumar.

For Lata, along with fame came sometimes allegations that she stole her sister’s Asha Bhosle songs or from several female playback singers who could not, perhaps, match her range and talent, alleging that she did not let other talented singers come up. It is not known how much truth there is in such allegations, but it is beyond dispute that Lata is undeniably the best singer India has produced. Her contribution to making music popular throughout India and the world is incalculable.

No human being gets everything in life and at a certain stage in life regrets, but today Lata is beyond all that and doesn’t regret for not getting married. Lata Mangeshkar is a proud Indian and in fact a true living legend.

1942 - first playback experience. First hindi song in 1943 (Gajabhau). First song as a playback singer in hindi films - 1947 (Aapki Sewa Mein). 1949 - first great hits Barsaat, Andaaz , Dulari and Mahal. By 1950 she changed the industry and became the most powerful woman in films

The most known songs:
Uthaye Ja Unke Situm - Andaaz (1949)
Jiya Bekarar Hai - Barsaat (1949)
Aayega Aanewala - Mahal (1949)
Preet Yeh Kaisi - Daag (1952)
Yeh Zindagi Usiki Hai - Anarkali (1953)
Man Dole Mera Man Dole - Nagin (1954)
Rasik Balma - Chori Chori (1956)
Chand Phir Nikla - Paying Guest (1957)
Yun Hasraton ke Daag - Adalat (1958)
Aaja re Pardesi - Madhumati (1958)
Bekas Karam Keeje - Mughal-e-Azam (1960)
Ajeeb Dastaan Hai Yeh - Dil Apna Aur Preet Parayi (1960)
Sajna Barkha Bahar Aayi - Parakh (1960)
Aap ki Nazron ne Samjha - Anpadh(1962)
Ae Mere Watan ke Logon - Non Film (1962)
Mora Gora Ang Lai Le - Bandini (1963)
Aaj Phir Jeene ki Tamana Hai - Guide (1965)
Bedardi Balma - Arzoo (1966)
Aa Jaanejaa - Inteqam (1969)
Na Koi Umang Hai - Kati Patang (1970)
Bada Natkhat Hai - Amar Prem (1971)
Chalte Chalte - Pakeezah (1972)
Ae Dil-e-Nadan - Razia Sultan (1980)
Dikhayi Diye Yun - Bazaar (1982)
Jiya Jale - Dil Se (1998)

By 1947, as India looked forward to finding its own identity as an Independant nation, Lataji would gift India its voice. Her first Hindi song Pa Lagoon Kar Jori for a ” Hindi ” film was released. The film, Aap Ki Sewa Mein.
It was after India’s losses in the India-China war in 1962 that a young Lata had sung the song, “Aye Mere Watan Ke Logon, Zara Aankh Me Bhar Lo Pani”. The song, written by Kavi Pradeep, moved the then Indian Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, to tears and he confessed “Beti toone mujhe rula diya.”It is at this time when the Pakistani Prime Minister said that he would gladly exchange Lata for Kashmir” such is the aura of Lata Mangeshkar. Lata is a legend in her lifetime and undeniably the best singer India has ever produced. As renowned Classical singer Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan said for lata “Kambakht Galti Se Bhi Kabhi Besura Nahi Gati”. Her contribution to making music popular throughout India and the world is incalculable and she has reigned supreme all through the last six decades. Music director Ghulam Haider introduced her Bombay Talkies which was to be her stepping stone to the big time. Over the years, she was won the hearts of millions of music lovers, and according to the Guiness Book of Records, she has rendered more songs than any artiste anywhere in the world, over 30,000 is the book’s estimate.

Apart from her film songs, Lata Mangeshkar has personally adapted the works of leading Marathi poets and set them to music for private recordings. She has recorded devotional songs by Sant Tukara, and her recording of the Bhagwat in Sanskrit is recognised as her crowning achievement.

Her most famous non-film song is Aye Mere Waton Ke Logo tuned by C. Ramchandra and written by poet Pradeep, it was this song that had brought tears in the eyes of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru..

Her first Hindi song(but in a Marathi Film)1943 - Gajabhau (maata ek sapoot ki duniya badal de tu…)Vinayak Rao was happy with Lata’s performance and signed her as a staff artiste on a monthly salary of Rs. 60. It was increased to Rs. 350 by the time Vinayak died in 1947.In 1945 the company shifted its headquarters to Bombay. Lata moved out into the big city.

It was then Lata met Amanat Ali Khan Bhindibazarwala, a classical scholar who accepted her as a disciple. In Badi Maa (1945),starring Noorjehan, Lata acted, sang for herself and for younger sister Asha. When Pakistan was created, Amanat Ali left India. Thereafter, she also became the pupil of Ustad Amanat Khan Devaswale. For some time Pandit Tulsidas Sharma, who was a pupil of Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali, also trained her.

Late Mangeshkar has never hesitated to help budding music directors by offering to render playbacks for them, and in the past five decades, there must be very few, indeed, who have not benefited from Lata’s great talent. She has sung in virtually all Indian languages with equal success. She has also composed music for some films, with the adopted name of Anand Ghar. They were Ram Ram Pahune, Mohityanchi Manjula, Maratha Tituka Melwawa, Sadhi Manse and Tambadi Ati. She acted in Pahili Mangala Gaur, Majhe Baal, Gaja Bhau, Badi Maa, Jeevan Yara, Samudra Mandir. She produced Marathi and Hindi films like Wadal (Marathi), Kanchan (Hindi) and Lekin (Hindi).
Books On Lata Mangeshkar:

Phule Vechita by Lata Mangeshkar
The book is not an autobiography in the strictest sense of the term; it is a collection of articles penned by Lata since 1952. The editorial effort is by Madhuvanti Sapre and Dinkar Gangal.It is published in Marathi script.

One chapter : Suraatle naate - Naatyatle Sur (Relations in Melody - Melody in Relations) in which Lata talks about Asha, her younger sister has been translated by Dr. Veena Nayak.

In search of Lata Mangeshkar
by Harish Bhimani

“When I was barely eight, my father, who was also my guru, had told me, ‘Fear only your own self. Ask yourself whether what you are doing is right and if the answer is yrs, then move ahead without a second thought’. I have followed his mantra to this day.” - Lata Mangeshkar

Lata Mangeshkar : A biography  by Raju Bharatan

Lata’s aura, her charisma and her persona make for a fascinating life story - a success story without parallel in the annals of popular music.