The life & legacy of Lata Mangeshkar as she turns 90

Known as Nightingale of India, Lata Mangeshkar is one of the best singers of the Hindi film industry. Started in 1942, Lata ji is not only Listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the most recorded artist in the world but She also has the credit of having sung in over thirty-six regional Indian languages and foreign languages. Said to have recorded songs for over a thousand Hindi films she was honoured with India's highest award in cinema, the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, in 1989.

Childhood & Early Life
Born on September 28, 1929, in Indore, she was the eldest daughter among the five children. Her father Pandit Deenanath Mangeshkar was an accomplished classical singer and stage actor. Lata was initially named Hema when she was born, but later her father renamed her as Lata, inspired by a character in one of his plays. Lata Mangeshkar is the elder sister of singers Asha Bhosle, Hridaynath Mangeshkar, Usha Mangeshkar and Meena Mangeshkar.
Lata who started acting in her father’s musical plays since the age of five took lessons in classical music from maestros like Amanat Khan, Pandit Tulsidas Sharma and Aman Ali Khan Saheb later in life. She did not receive a formal education as she did not attend school. PanditDinanath passed away when Lata was just 13 years old and as the eldest child, the financial responsibility of the family came to rest upon Lata’s shoulders.