Kathmandu, February 7. Lata Mangeshkar, India’s legendary playback singer who is also known as the “Nightingale of India”, passed away Sunday morning at the age of 92.

Dr Pratit Samdani, who was looking after Mangeshkar’s treatment at Mumbai based Breach Candy Hospital, confirmed that the singer died at 8.12 am due to multi-organ failure.

A month in Hospital

On January 8, Mangeshkar was taken to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at the Breach Candy Hospital in Mumbai after being diagnosed with mild COVID-19 symptoms. As the news created waves on the internet, Mangeshkar’s spokesperson Anusha Iyer requested fans to ignore rumors and “pray for Lata didi’s quick return home.”

On January 27, she was taken to a ventilator unit for a three day trial extubation.

After her health showed positive signs, she was again shifted to the general ward on January 30. The same day, Minister Rajesh Tope visited the hospital and confirmed that her condition was stable and out of danger. “Only oxygen is being given to her. She is responding to the treatment,” Tope told reporters.

A week later on February 6, India lost its biggest singing icon.

Voice of the Millennium

Mangeshkar began her career at the age of 13, by playing child characters in Marathi dramas written by her father.

She recorded her first studio song “Naachu Yaa Gade” in 1942, for a movie named “Kiti Hasaal”.

Four years later, in 1946, she made her debut to the Hindi playback industry by working in the movie “Aap Ki Seva Mein”. Shortly after, her voice took her to the heights of bollywood.

By the end of 1960’s, She had already recorded 25,000 songs in 20 different languages.

In 1969, the Government of India adorned Mangeskar with “Padma Bhushan”, the third highest civilian award in India.

In 1974, the annual edition of the Guinness Book of World Records listed her as the most recorded artist in world history.

In 1987, the Government of India awarded her the “Dadasaheb Phalke Award”.

In 1999, the Government of India adorned Mangeskar with “Padma Vibhushan”, the second-highest civilian award in India.

Mangeshkar received the second-highest civilian award “Padma Vibhushan” from the Government of India.

At the age of seventy-two, in 2001, She became the second female personality to receive India’s most prestigious civilian award “Bharat Ratna”.

In 2007, the government of France conferred its highest civilian award “Officer of the National Order of the Legion of Honor” to Mangeskar. 

Lata Mangeshkar recorded her last song ‘Saugandh Mujhe Is Mitti Ki’, which was composed by Mayuresh Pai, as a tribute to the Indian Army and nation. It was released on March 30, 2019.