Lata to sing on her father's anniversary

Times of India, 23 Apr 2009


Some works of art don't age. Lata Mangeshkar's voice is one of them. Having
almost recovered from her knee surgery the Nightingale of India, now almost 80,
is all set to do what she has done with breathtaking finesse for six decades.
Lataji says she will be back to recording songs from next month. Though she's
much too shy to reveal names of the composers who have been waiting patiently
for her to recover fully, she says,

"I was always choosy about the songs I sing. Now I've to be even more
particular. The language of the songs doesn't matter. The song could be in
Hindi, Bengali or Marathi, but I've to be convinced about singing it." Before
she pleases her legion of fans by returning to singing, Lataji will be
participating in the most important annual event of her life. Her father Pandit
Dinanath Mangeshkar's death anniversary on April 24.

Lataji would be making her first public appearance after her knee surgery for
this special occasion. "I recently got the Radio Mirchi lifetime achievement
award. But I was unable to attend. They very kindly came home and gave it to me.
But attending the function for my father is something I'd never like to miss."

Every year a handful of distinguished artistes are honoured in Pune for their
contribution to society. A novel addition to this year's Pandit Dinanath
Mangeshkar award would be awards to the cops who fought with the terrorists on
26/11. What more befitting tribute to the nation's resilience and patriotism
straight from the singer who has sung the country's most patriotic song ever Ae
mere watan ke logon!

Subhash K Jha