When Lata Mangeshkar flew in to Chennai to hand over an award to MS Subbulakshmi

Lata Mangeshkar passed away this morning at the Breach Candy Hospital in Mumbai. (Photo: Facebook/s.aishwaryaofficial)

Lata Mangeshkar, legendary singer and the ‘Nightingale of India’ passed away this morning after a prolonged battle with Covid-19 related complications in Mumbai. She was 92. Tributes poured in from across the country and the government announced a two-day state mourning on the demise of the icon.

Among the many tributes, one was from V Shrinivasan, the grandson of another iconic Carnatic singer MS Subbulakshmi.

Shrinivasan’s daughter S Aishwarya, also a singer, posted her father’s tribute to Lata Mangeshkar on Facebook.

Shrinivasan shared a touching story in the tribute about MS Subbulakshmi (MSS) and Lata Mangeshkar's close bond.

Saying that Lata Mangeshkar referred to MSS as “Tapaswani” (to renunciate), Shrinivasan recalled the time when the singer flew in to Chennai to hand over an award to MSS.

“Lata Ji had an extremely close relationship with our family. When my Grandmother Smt MS Subbulakshmi was unable to go to Mumbai to receive the Master Dinanath Mangeshkar Award in 1994, Lata Mangeshkar flew in to Chennai to hand the award to her personally,” the post read.

He further reminisced another incident when Lata Mangeshkar could not make to the MSS Centenary celebrations due to ill health.

“I had spoken to Lata Ji in the year 2016 to invite her for the MSS Centenary Year Celebrations. I was beyond thrilled beyond measure when she answered the phone herself and in utter disbelief I heard her honey laden voice. She said that she absolutely loved my Grandmother and her music and that she would have certainly come but since she was not keeping the best of health she expressed her regret at not being able attend the function and instead sent her best wishes.”

The tribute also mentioned how S Aishwarya and S Saundarya, both great granddaughters of MS Subbulakshmi, were praised by Lata Mangeshkar just two months ago when she heard then sing a classical bandish.

“The legacy left behind by Subbulakshmi ji is unparalleled and I wish these young talents the very best for their future,” Lata Mangeshkar said in a text, Shrinivasan said in his tribute.

He also quoted Lata Mangeshkar’s high praise for his grandmother from a Hindi book by Padma Sachdev (‘Lata Mangeshkar – Aisa Kahan Se Laun’).

“The music of Lata Ji will forever remain immortal,” V Shrinivasan concluded his note with several old photos of the singer, MSS and other artistes.