Wish Lata Mangeshkar a Happy Birthday!

Lata Mangeshkar, the legendary Indian singer

Lata Mangeshkar, the legendry playback singer of the Hindi film industry, turned 82 today. She has recorded songs for over a thousand Bollywood movies and has sung songs in over thirty-six regional Indian languages and foreign languages, though primarily in Hindi. She has been featured in the Guinness Book of World Records from 1974 to 1991 for having made the most recordings in the world. Honored with the Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian honour, her list of awards include Padma Bhushan (1969), Padma Vibhushan (1999), Dada Saheb Phalke Award (1989), Maharashtra Bhushan Award (1997), NTR National Award (1999) and three National Film Awards (first one for Salil Chowdhury's composition “Aaja Re Pardesi,” from Madhumati (1958))

Born in Sikh Mohalla, Indore, in the Central India Agency (now part of Madhya Pradesh), she is the eldest of her siblings Asha Bhosle (another legendary singer), Hridayanath Mangeshkar, Usha Mangeshkar and Meena Mangeshkar. At the age of five, she started to work as an actress in her father, Pandit Deenanath Mangeshkar's, musical plays. After death of her father in 1942, she was mentored by Vinayak Damodar Karnataki under whom she recorded her first Hindi song "Mata Ek Sapoot Ki Duniya Badal De Tu" for the Marathi film, Gajaabhaau (1943).

In 1969, she gave up the Filmfare Best Female Playback Award, in order to promote fresh talent. She has also put her foot into Music Composition as well as Production. She won Maharashtra State Government's Best Music Director Award for the film Sadhi Manase(1965).Mangeshkar produced the Gulzar-directed movie Lekin in 1990.

Lata ji in her 20's

Lata ji will add one more feather to her cap, when she receives the 'Hridaynath Award' from mega star Amitabh Bachchan for her contribution in the sector of music today.

Long live Lata Mangeshkar, India is proud of you!

Many happy returns of the day, Lata ji.