Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar paid tribute to the legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar who passed away early on Sunday. The Chief Minister said that her songs will be played in different places of the state for the next 15 days. The state government has also announced a half-day mourning in government offices on Monday. Lata Mangeshkar died at the Breach Candy hospital in Mumbai on Sunday morning. She was 92.
Chief Minister in her condolence message wrote: “I am deeply saddened by the passing of legendary musician Lata Mangeshkar. She breathed her last in Mumbai today. She was 92 years old. There will be a huge void after her death”.
Mentioning her as a rare musician and singer, the chief minister said, “For the last eight decades she was in the heart of all the people of this country. She had made everybody captivated by her musical spell. She has sung countless songs including classical, ghazal, bhajan, modern and songs for numerous films. She has sung in 36 Indian and foreign languages including Hindi, Marathi, Bengali. She had deep relations with Bengal and Bengali songs. Many of our musical stars were enriched by her rare musical talent,” she wrote.
“She has received numerous awards and honours including Bharat Ratna, Padma Bhushan, Padma Vibhushan, Dadasaheb Phalke Award, Legion of Honour, National Film Award, Bengal Film Journalists’ Association Award,” she said. “Her death caused irreparable damage to the world of music. I extend my sincere condolences to the family and fans of Lata Mangeshkar,” she added.
Later she said that she shared a very close relationship with this legendary artist. “She not only sent me a gift when I became the chief minister for the first time but also wanted to come to Kolkata to take the ‘Bangabibhusan Award’ conferred to her by the Government of West Bengal but she couldn’t come because of her ill health. She called me and thanked me”.
“A lot of people give me a lot of gifts. I don’t keep them with me but I still preserve the gift ‘Lataji’ gave me and consider it to be my precious treasure,” she added.
Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar expressed deep anguish at the passing of the legendary singer. Dhankhar in his Twitter message wrote: “Anguished at passing of Bharat Ratna- all-time greatest #LataMangeshkar. The void she leaves is difficult to fill. Generations will ever remember the legend of culture for her immortalised melodious voice that would ever mesmerise people.”
–IANS