Lata Mangeshkar, born on September 28, 1929, is an iconic Indian playback singer renowned for her melodious voice and extensive repertoire spanning over seven decades. Hailing from a musical family in Maharashtra, she began her career in the 1940s and soon became a dominant figure in Bollywood playback singing, lending her voice to thousands of songs in various languages. Mangeshkar’s voice has defined generations of Indian music, earning her numerous awards and accolades, including the Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian honor. Her contributions to Indian cinema and music continue to inspire and resonate globally with music lovers of all ages.
General Information About Famous Playback singer Lata Mangeshkar
Category
Details
Full Name
Lata Mangeshkar
Profession
Playback singer
Date of Birth
September 28, 1929
Current Age
95 years, 1 months, 24 days
Date Of Death
06 Februray 2022
Husband
Never married
Nationality
Indian
Exploring Lata Mangeshkar Personal Journey
Category
Details
Name
Lata Mangeshkar
Birth Name
Lata Dinanath Mangeshkar
Nickname
Nightingale of India
Height
155 cm / 1.55 m / 5′ 1″
Eye Color
Black
Hair Color
Salt & Pepper
Religion
Hindu
Present Address
–
Hometown
Indore, Madhya Pradesh, India
Lata Mangeshkar Education
Category
Details
Education
Schooling up to 5th grade
School
Not formally educated beyond elementary school
Lata Mangeshkar Favorite
Category
Details
Food
N/A
Actor/Actress
Dilip Kumar, Meena Kumari
Musicians
Mohammed Rafi, Kishore Kumar
Song
“Lag Ja Gale”
Book
Not publicly disclosed
Hobbies
Singing, reading
Films
N/A
Colour
White
Perfume
N/A
Director
N/A
Holiday Destinations
N/A
Likes
Classical music, simplicity
Lata Mangeshkar Relationship Journey
Affairs
Bhupen Hazarika (Lyricist)
Lata Mangeshkar Career Journey
Year
Details
1942
First song recorded: “Mata Ek Sapoot Ki Duniya Badal De Tu” for the Marathi film Gajaabhaau
1949
Breakthrough hit: “Aayega Aanewaala” from the film Mahal
1950s-60s
Emerged as the leading playback singer in Bollywood
1970s-80s
Continued dominance with numerous hit songs
1990s-2000s
Continued to lend her voice to select projects; focused more on devotional and non-film music
Awards
Received numerous awards including Bharat Ratna (2001), Padma Bhushan (1969), Padma Vibhushan (1999)
Legacy
Regarded as one of the greatest playback singers in Indian cinema history
Contributions
Over 25,000 songs across various languages including Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, and others
Lata Mangeshkar Career Statistics
Category
Details
Awards
Bharat Ratna (2001), Padma Bhushan (1969), Padma Vibhushan (1999), Dadasaheb Phalke Award (1989), Maharashtra Bhushan Award (1997), NTR National Award (1999), Legion of Honour (2007), ANR National Award (2009), three National Film Awards, 15 Bengal Film Journalists’ Association Awards, four Filmfare Best Female Playback Awards, Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award (1993), Filmfare Special Awards (1994, 2004)
Awards in Her Honor
Lata Mangeshkar Award by the State Government of Madhya Pradesh (1984), similar award by the State Government of Maharashtra (1992)
International Recognition
Officer of the French Legion of Honour (2009)
Rankings
Ranked 10th in Outlook India’s poll of the Greatest Indian since independence (2012), 84th on Rolling Stone’s list of the 200 Greatest Singers of All Time (2023)
Quotes
Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan: “kambakht, kabhi besuri na hoti” (“[she] is never off-key”), Dilip Kumar: “Lata Mangeshkar ki awaaz kudrat ki takhleek ka ek karishma hain” (“Lata Mangeshkar’s voice is a miracle from God”)
Memorials and Tributes
Included in the ‘In Memoriam’ segment at the 2022 British Academy Film and Television Awards (BAFTA)
Honorary Doctorates
Sangeet Natak Akademi (1989), Indira Kala Sangeet Vishwavidyalaya, Khairagarh, Shivaji University in Kolhapur, York University in Toronto
Guinness World Records Controversy
Initially listed as the most recorded artist in history (1974), dispute with Mohammed Rafi’s claims, later editions acknowledged her records (up to 30,000 songs by 1987), entry discontinued in 1991 without explanation, revived in 2011 for her sister Asha Bhosle
