Lata Mangeshkar Birth Anniversary: 5 Surprising Facts About Nightingale Of India

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SEPTEMBER 28,2024

The Indian music industry has transformed over the years. It all started in the early 1960s, when Indian music started to make a place in every household, thanks to some incredible tunes from the movies.

While there were many phenomenal singers who rose to fame, it was Lata Mangeshkar who changed the entire Indian music scene with her soothing vocals.

Born on September 28, 1929, in Indore, the legendary singer soon became a household name with her soulful voice that touched millions of hearts. Her first breakthrough in Bollywood was with the 1948 release Majboor, in which she sang 'Dil Mera Toda, Mujhe Kahin Ka Na Chhora.'

Surprising facts about Lata Mangeshkar

Today marks her 94th birth anniversary. While we all miss her, Lata Mangeshkar and her music will forever live in our hearts. On this day, let's remember the Nightingale of India by learning some lesser-known facts about her.

Also Read: Lata Mangeshkar Featured On Rolling Stone's 200 Best Singers Of All Time



The legendary singer breathed her last on February 6, 2022, after suffering multiple organ failure. She was 92. As the nation continues to recover from losing a gem, these interesting facts will remind you of when she said, "Meri aawaz hi pehchaan hai."

1. Changed her name after a famous character

Born as Hema Mangeshkar, she was rechristened later as Lata, which was inspired by a famous character in her father's play Bhaaw Bandhan. She was the eldest child among four siblings in her family.

2. Comes from a family of performers

Lata Didi was born into a Marathi family and was the first child of her parents, Deenanath and Shudhamati Mangeshkar. Theirs was a love marriage. Her father was Maharashtrian, while her mother came from a Gujarati family.

Her father was a renowned Konkani classical singer and theater actor. With her sisters Usha, Asha and Meena also being celebrated vocalists, Lata Mangeshkar came from a family of performers.

3. Started singing at the age of five

Since her father came from a classic music and theater background, Lata was exposed to music at a very young age. She started singing at the age of 5.

Also Read: 5 Evergreen Songs By Lata Mangeshkar That Speak To Your Soul

Recalling how it all began, the late singer said, "It so happened that once my father asked his Shagird (disciple) to practice a Raag while he finished some work. I was playing nearby, and suddenly a note of the Raag that Shagird was rendering, jarred. And the next minute, I was correcting him. When my father returned, he discovered a shagird in his own daughter."

4. Never listened to her own songs

In an old interview with Bollywood Hungama, the Ajeeb Daastaan singer revealed that she never listened to her own songs. When asked why, Lata said she would often find faults in her own singing.

5. First ever Indian to perform at Royal Albert Hall

It was the year 1974 that changed the fate of Indian musicians. Lata Mangeshkar became the first ever Indian singer to perform at the Royal Albert Hall. In the same year, the Guinness Book of Records stated that she was the most recorded artist, having sung over 25,000 songs.

Let's remember the Nightingale of India by listening to her soulful and timeless songs. We miss you, Lata Didi.