The legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar passed away on 6th February 2022, at the age of 92. The whole nation is in mourning, and the void that her passing has left seems impossible to fill. From raising funds for the Indian cricket team to her tribute to the Indo-China war martyrs through Ae Mere Watan Ke Logo, Lata Mangeshkar has given a lot to the nation. Today, we look at a few of her contributions that will always be remembered.
1. Lata Mangeshkar helped raise ₹20 lakh for the Indian Cricket Team in 1983.
Lata Mangeshkar was an ardent cricket fan. She showcased her love for cricket on several occasions. One such time was when she helped raise ₹20 lakh for the Indian cricket team when it won the 1983 World Cup.
After the big win, the BCCI wanted to felicitate and honour the team but lacked the funds to do so. Lata Mangeshkar stepped in on the request of cricket administrator Raj Singh Dungarpur to raise funds.
Raj Singh came up with a brilliant idea of requesting Lata Mangeshkar to do a musical programme in Delhi to raise money for the purpose, as the BCCI was not flush with funds in those days.
-NKP Salve, Former BCCI President
Lata Mangeshkar did a special show in Delhi with Suresh Wadekar and Nitin Mukesh and raised ₹20 lakh.
2. Lata Mangeshkar donated ₹7 lakh for COVID-19 work.
With the onset of covid-19, the whole world was in turmoil. Lata Mangeshkar stepped up and contributed 25 lakh to the Chief Minister’s Assistance Fund in 2020.
When the country was hit by the second wave of Covid-19 in May 2021, Lata Mangeshkar again contributed ₹7 lakh to Maharashtra Chief Minister’s Relief Fund for Covid relief work.
3. Lata Mangeshkar’s concert helped raise funds for Goa’s Liberation struggles.
Lata Mangeshkar’s father belonged to Goa, so when the Goa liberation activists reached out to her for organizing a concert to raise funds, she agreed.
The concert was held at Hira Baug in Pune in the 1950s. The funds raised were used for the ousting of the Portuguese forces from Goa. Lata Mangeshkar didn’t charge any money for the concert. This concert is believed to be one of the most influential contributions to Goa’s fight for liberation.
4. Lata Mangeshkar with A.R. Rahman made a music video for women empowerment.
In 2014, Lata Mangeshkar made a music video called Laadli – The Raunaq of Life with A.R. Rahman on the theme of women’s empowerment. This video showcases the strength of a woman and how they can achieve anything in life. The lyrics are beautiful and Lata Mangeshkar’s voice adds soul to this song.
5. Lata Mangeshkar’s tribute to the soldier’s who died in Indo-China war.
In the Indo-China war of 1962, many soldiers lost their lives. On Republic Day in 1963, Lata Mangeshkar sang the song Ae Mere Watan Ke Logon in honour of the soldiers.
The hard-hitting lyrics of the song with Lata Mangeshkar’s soulful voice were so powerful that it brought tears to the eyes of the then Prime Minister Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru.
These instances show how Lata Mangeshkar played a pivotal role in Indian history and has always stood up for a cause. May her soul rest in peace.
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