Lata Mangeshkar
Playback singer whose voice defined Hindi film music for seven decades
- Lived
- 92 yrs
- 1929 – 2022
- Works listed
- 6
- Song
- Honours
- 6
- Most recent 2007
- Profile views
- 2
- 0 followers
Lata Mangeshkar was India’s most celebrated playback singer, recording thousands of songs in more than 30 languages over a career of about seven decades. She received the Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian honour, in 2001.
Biography
Early life
Lata was the eldest child of the classical singer and theatre actor Deenanath Mangeshkar. After his death in 1942, the 13-year-old began acting and singing in films to support her family; her siblings Asha Bhosle, Usha, Meena and Hridaynath Mangeshkar also became musicians.
The voice of Hindi cinema
Her first major hit, “Aayega Aanewala” from Mahal (1949), established her as the leading female playback voice. Working with composers from Naushad and S. D. Burman to Laxmikant–Pyarelal, R. D. Burman and A. R. Rahman, she sang for generations of heroines. Her 1963 performance of the patriotic song “Ae Mere Watan Ke Logon” is said to have moved Prime Minister Nehru to tears.
Range and collaborators
Mangeshkar sang in Hindi, Marathi, Bengali and more than 30 other languages, across devotional songs, ghazals, folk, lullabies and film songs. She recorded celebrated duets with Mohammed Rafi, Kishore Kumar and Mukesh, and worked with composers including Naushad, Shankar–Jaikishan, S. D. Burman, Madan Mohan, Laxmikant–Pyarelal, R. D. Burman and A. R. Rahman. She also composed music for Marathi films under the name Anandghan.
Honours and legacy
She received the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 1989 and the Bharat Ratna in 2001, and was a nominated member of the Rajya Sabha (1999–2005). France made her an Officer of the Legion of Honour in 2007. She died in Mumbai on 6 February 2022, and India observed two days of national mourning.
Personal life
She never married, and lived for decades with her siblings at Prabhu Kunj on Peddar Road in Mumbai. She was devoted to cricket and to her family, and founded the Deenanath Mangeshkar Hospital in Pune in memory of her father. She died of multiple organ failure, after contracting Covid-19, on 6 February 2022 at the age of 92, and was cremated with full state honours at Shivaji Park.
Timeline
-
1929
Born in Indore, Indore State (now Madhya Pradesh)
-
1942
Begins singing in films
After her father’s death.
-
1949
“Aayega Aanewala” (Mahal)
Her first major hit.
-
1959
First Filmfare Award for Best Female Playback Singer
“Aaja Re Pardesi” (Madhumati, 1958).
-
1963
“Ae Mere Watan Ke Logon”
Performed in Delhi before Nehru.
-
1969
Padma Bhushan
-
1989
Dadasaheb Phalke Award
-
1999
Nominated to the Rajya Sabha
Padma Vibhushan.
-
2001
Bharat Ratna
-
2022
Dies in Mumbai
On 6 February.
-
2022
State funeral at Shivaji Park
-
2022
Died, aged 92
Notable works
-
1949
Aayega Aanewala (Mahal) Song
-
1963
Ae Mere Watan Ke Logon Song
-
1964
Lag Jaa Gale (Woh Kaun Thi?) Song
-
1958
Aaja Re Pardesi (Madhumati) Song
-
1960
Pyar Kiya To Darna Kya (Mughal-e-Azam) Song
-
1995
Tujhe Dekha To (Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge) Song
Duet with Kumar Sanu.
Awards and honours
-
Padma Bhushan
1969
-
National Film Award for Best Female Playback Singer
1973 · For Parichay (first of three).
-
Dadasaheb Phalke Award
1989
-
Padma Vibhushan
1999
-
Bharat Ratna
2001
-
Officer of the Legion of Honour
2007 · France.
Did you know?
-
1
She withdrew from the Filmfare awards in the 1970s to make way for younger singers.
-
2
She composed music for Marathi films under the pseudonym Anandghan.
-
3
She was a passionate cricket fan.
-
4
India declared two days of national mourning after her death.
Gallery
Connections
Related people
-
Kishore Kumar
Film & TV · Playback singer and actor, one of the greatest voices of Hindi cinema
Frequent duet partner
-
A. R. Rahman
Music · Composer and winner of two Academy Awards
Collaborator
-
Jawaharlal Nehru
Politics & Leadership · First Prime Minister of India (1947–1964)
Heard her sing “Ae Mere Watan Ke Logon”
Frequently asked
Who is Lata Mangeshkar?
Lata Mangeshkar was India’s most celebrated playback singer, recording thousands of songs in more than 30 languages over a career of about seven decades. She received the Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian honour, in 2001.
When did Lata Mangeshkar die?
Lata Mangeshkar died on 6 February 2022 at the age of 92.
Where is Lata Mangeshkar from?
Lata Mangeshkar was born in Indore, Indore State (now Madhya Pradesh).
What is Lata Mangeshkar known for?
Lata Mangeshkar is best known for “Ae Mere Watan Ke Logon”, “Aayega Aanewala”, “Lag Jaa Gale”; Bharat Ratna.
What awards has Lata Mangeshkar received?
Notable honours include Padma Bhushan (1969), National Film Award for Best Female Playback Singer (1973), Dadasaheb Phalke Award (1989), Padma Vibhushan (1999).
References
- Lata Mangeshkar — Wikipedia. Wikipedia. Retrieved 26 October 2026.
- Lata Mangeshkar — Britannica. Encyclopaedia Britannica. Retrieved 26 October 2026.
- Lata Mangeshkar — IMDb. IMDb. Retrieved 26 October 2026.
- Lata Mangeshkar — Spotify. Spotify. Retrieved 26 October 2026.
- Lata Mangeshkar — Hindi Wikipedia. Wikipedia (Hindi). Retrieved 26 October 2026.
- Lata Mangeshkar (Q156347) — structured data. Wikidata. Retrieved 26 October 2026.
External links
About this profile
- Researched by the TrackFame editors; reviewed by Sanjay Sokal
- First published 26 October 2026
- Last updated
Cite this page
“Lata Mangeshkar.” TrackFame, last updated 27 October 2026. https://trackfame.com/person/lata-mangeshkar
Discussion 0
Sign in or create an account to join the discussion.
No comments yet — be the first.
More in Music
Music
A. R. Rahman
Composer and winner of two Academy Awards
Born 1967
Music
Arijit Singh
Playback singer and composer
Born 1987
Music
Ravi Shankar
Sitar virtuoso who brought Indian classical music to the world
1920 – 2012
Film & TV
Kishore Kumar
Playback singer and actor, one of the greatest voices of Hindi cinema
1929 – 1987
Music
Rabindranath Tagore
Poet, writer and composer; first non-European Nobel laureate in Literature
1861 – 1941