Lata Mangeshkar

Hailed as the ‘Nightingale of Bollywood’, there is no doubt that Lata Mangeshkar is one of the best recognized and respected female voices in India. With a singing career spanning over seven decades in the Hindi and Indian regional film industries where most wannabe singers fizzle off even before the decade is up, Mangeshkar is surely a formidable figure to reckon with. Not only has the lady with the Golden Voice made her indelible mark on the Hindi filmdom by singing for over a thousand Hindi films, but has also lent her voice to songs in over 36 regional Indian languages and foreign languages. Singing came naturally to young Lata as she was born as the eldest daughter of a classical singer. Her father was also a theater artist and Lata and her younger siblings were exposed to the big stage from an early age. The unfortunate death of her father while she was still young forced her to become her family’s breadwinner, a duty she fulfilled to her best. For her rare achievements and contributions to the art of India, she was honored with the Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian award—a very rare tribute for a vocalist.