Lata Mangeshkar (born September 28, 1929) is a singer from India with a career that has spanned more than six decades. She is one of the only two singers (and the only playback singer) to have been awarded the Bharat Ratna, the nation`s highest civilian honour (the other being legendary classical vocalist M.S. Subbulakshmi). Although she sang mainly for Hindi and Marathi films, Lata Mangeshkar`s popularity and influence transcends barriers of region and language. She has sung 35 major Indian languages. Lata is also popularly referred to as the `Nightingale of India` and continues to sing to date in Indian cinema.

Childhood:
Lata was born in Indore, Madhya Pradesh into a middle-class Maharashtrian family. She was the first born child and daughter of Pandit Dinanath Mangeshkar and his second wife Shudhmati Mangeshkar. Her father was a theater actor and classical singer. Her siblings are Hridayanath Mangeshkar, Asha Bhosle, Usha Mangeshkar and Meena Mangeshkar. All of the siblings, except Meena, chose music as their careers. Although she was born at Indore, Lata was raised in Maharashtra. When she was 5 years old, Lata started working as an actress in several plays known as "sangeet nataks"in which her father was performing. Her father also began giving her singing lessons when at that age. Dinanath`s recitals, his tutelage of various students and his practice of music all left an impression on Lata. Ironically, according to Lata, her father forbade the listening to or singing of any Hindi film music, except K. L. Saigal`s songs.

Lata has received four Filmfare Awards, the Platinum Disc of EMI London and many other awards. Noor Jehan, whom Lata allegedly imitated in her early years as a singer, once said "people say Lataji considers me as a phenomenon. I would say that`s her humility. Lataji is Lataji. No singer like her has ever been born."

More on Lata Mangeshkar
Songs of Lata Mangeshkar
Lata Mangeshkar`s first cinematic song was for the film Kiti Hasaal (1942), produced by Vasant Joglekar. In 1945, maestro Ghulam Haider took Lata to meet producer S.Mukherji who was planning to make a movie starring actress Kamini Kaushal. He wanted the producer to give 16 year old Lata a chance to sing. The producer dismissed Lata`s voice, annoying Ghulam Haider who said "Let me fortell today that this girl will soon put to shame everyone else including Noor Jehan. Producers and directors will fall at her feet begging her to sing in their films."

In 1947, Vasant Joglekar employed Lata to sing for his film Aapki Seva Mein. The popular songs composed by musician Datta Daavjekar established Lata as a leading playback singer in Bollywood. She reinforced her position with hits from the movie Majboor - Angrezi chhora chala gaya, Dil mera toda Haaye and, mujhe kahinka na choda tere pyaar ne.