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Legendary singer and an icon of the Indian music and cinema industry, Lata Mangeshkar passed away on Sunday 6 January 2022. She was the recipient of the prestigious Bharat Ratna, Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Dadasaheb Phalke Awards. She sung playback songs for an extensive list of Hindi films and was popularly known as the Nightingale of India. She breathed her last in Mumbai’s Breach Candy Hospital at the age of 92.
She was taken to the intensive care unit on January 8 after testing positive for COVID-19. On Saturday, her condition had deteriorated again and she had to be put on ventilator support. She was under medical observation. She was being treated for both pneumonia and COVID-19. Her symptoms were mild but she was in ICU due of her age, family members said. Over the next few weeks, Lata Mangeshkar showed signs of improvement. However, on Saturday, hospital authorities said that she had been put back on the ventilator after her health deteriorated.
Apart from singing songs for an extensive list of Hindi films; she also sang in several regional languages including Marathi and Bengali. She belonged to a prominent musical family, that also composed music as well as produced a handful of films. She was popularly known as the Nightingale of India.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi was among the first ones to share the sad news and said: I am anguished beyond words. The kind and caring Lata Didi has left us. She leaves a void in our nation that cannot be filled. The coming generations will remember her as a stalwart of Indian culture, whose melodious voice had an unparalleled ability to mesmerize people,” he tweeted.
Prominent politicians, sports personalities and film producers as well as music directors, singers and other film celebrities visited her residence in Mumbai to pay their last respects to the singer. PM Modi is also scheduled to attend Lata Mangeshkar’s State funeral in Mumbai this evening.