After a long battle against lung issues and Covid-19, one of India’s all-time greatest vocalists Lata Mangeshkar breathed her last this morning.

Speaking to the media, Mangeshkar’s physician Dr. Pratit Samdani confirmed her time of death as 8:12 AM, and cited multi-organ failure as the cause of death. It marked the tragic end of nearly a month of hospitalization – during which her condition waxed and waned at Mumbai’s Breach Candy Hospital.

Across the month, several well-wishers, friends, and old associates reached out with wishes of recovery. Starting her career eighty years ago and lending her voice to over 30,000 songs, Lata-ji’s prolific list of hits and accomplishments spanned the entire length of Golden Age, Classic, and Modern Era Bollywood – making her the definitive female voice of over three generations.

Several major politicians took a moment to honor her memory, including Cabinet Minister Nitin Gadkari, who was present immediately after her passing:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Ram Nath Kovind also made statements regarding Lata-ji’s passing:

Meanwhile, several other celebrities ranging from sports personalities to actors shared public messages of remembrance, thanking the legendary vocalist for her timeless contributions to music:

While Lata Mangeshkar earned some of the greatest national honours possible – from the Bharat Ratna to several National Awards, and even foreign civilian awards, she was curiously unattached to worldly affairs – possessing a strong spiritual temperament in her later years that yearned for peace and cooperation.

Just five months ago, the singer spoke to National Herald, with a key warning for India’s future. “This climate of suspicion and hostility must stop,” she said. “I had hoped and prayed that this kind of divisive atmosphere would have long ago ended. But I am sorry to say it’s getting worse.”

Despite this sad thought, she left us with a final message of pride and unity – fitting for one of history’s greatest Indians.

“Think like an Indian, not as a Hindu or a Muslim or a Christian or a Parsi. We come from a land of great cultural and philosophical knowledge. I consider myself very very fortunate to be born in this great country.

If I had a chance to be reborn, I would want to be born only as an Indian again.”

(Featured Image Credit: Deccan Herald)