Lata Mangeshkar

• Birth Date: 28 Sep 1929
• Birth Place: Indore

Artist Information

Latabai Mangeshkar was born on 28th September, 1929, at Sikh Mohalla, Indore, Madhya Pradesh, India. Lata's father , Pt. Dinanath Mangeshkar was also an amateur astrologer, he christened his newly born daughter Hema, as per the date and time of her birth. He, however, would prefer to call her Hridiya. Later on, the family members began calling her Lata. The name stuck and the eldest daugter of Dinanath and Shrimati permanently came to be known as Lata Mangeshkar.

Deenanath Mangeshkar a classical singer and stage actor, who came from Mangeshi in Goa was trained in the colourful Punjabi school of Baba Mushelkar. He owned a drama troupe which made him pitch his tent in nearly every town - such as Pune, Kolhapur, Satara, Sangli and Miraj.

Lata's family was a wandering family. Lata's father was a singer and in the employ of a music-theatre outfit, Kirloskar Sangeet Mandali, that would move from place to place to stage its shows.

Although, the family surname was Hardikar, it was Lata's father who adopted Lata's paternal ancestors belonged to the priestly caste of the Karhadi Brahmin, and many of them fought fiercely against the Portuguese colonizers to maintain the dignity and sanctity of their temples.

Lata her sisters and a brother (Meena, Asha, Usha and Hridaynath) did not receive a proper schooling However to compensate this shortcoming he gave his children music lessons early in life.As lata grew up ,the peals of girlish giggles (still a characteristic) were present when Lata was a playful tomboy studying music from her father Master Dinanath Mangeshkar .Dinanath told his wife that Lata is going to be a miracle since he knew a little about astrology though he died before she started singing.

The nightingale of India, Lata Mangeshkar, who has charmed her fans with over 50,000 songs she has sung as a playback singer in films, has no regrets that she never got married. Lata, whose voice quality retains the freshness and innocence of a 16-year-old girl, says that in a way it has been good that she did not get married. Had I got married, I may have got divorced in a year or two. It has all been all for the good, she says.

For Lata ,the Filmfare Awards for playback singing first started in the year 1958. In 1956, 'Rasik Balma'( Chori- Chori ) won the Best Song Filmfare Award, Lata refused to sing it live in protest of no Playback Singer category, which paved way in 1958 of this new category ( though Male & Female Awards where started later on).

From the year 1958 to 1966 no other female singer was able to get the filmfare award. Since she had won the popular Filmfare awards so many times & had always been accussed of monopolising the industry (along with sister Asha), after 1969, she made the unusual gesture of giving up FILMFARE awards in favour of fresh talent.