The tributes continue to pour in for late veteran singer Lata Mangeshkar. She passed away at the age of 92 on February 6 morning due to multi-organ failure. She was admitted to Breach Candy Hospital, Mumbai, where the singer was being treated after testing COVID-19 positive on January 8, 2022. Mourning the loss of the singer, actress Rani Mukerji remembered her in a heartwarming statement.
Rani Mukerji said in a statement, “Lataji is an institution and this is truly the end of an era.. though she is no more, her voice is immortal and will stay with us forever. Lataji was truly gifted and blessed, people would often say that goddess Saraswati resides in her voice, and what a coincidence that she left us one day after Basant Panchami.”
She added, “She has left a big void in all our lives as India has lost its nightingale. She is and always will be remembered as one of the most integral people in the history of Indian cinema. Every actor past and present dreamt of lip-syncing to her voice and in my career, I had the good fortune of being able to do that in my film Mujhse Dosti Karoge. I will always cherish the memories I have of meeting her and getting her blessings through my career, she was kindhearted and always exuded warmth, there was truly an aura around her, and when we met she greeted us with so much love.”
“We as an industry can now celebrate her life and thank her for the countless memories and songs she has left us with. Rest in peace Lataji, Love you,” she concluded.
A state funeral was organized on Sunday evening to conduct her last rites which saw the presence of PM Narendra Modi, Lata Mangeshkar’s family members Asha Bhosle, Usha Mangeshkar, grandchildren, Shraddha Kapoor, Shah Rukh Khan, Sachin Tendulkar, Ranbir Kapoor, Vidya Balan among others. Politicians Sharad Pawar and Raj Thackeray were also in attendance. The Maharashtra government announced a public holiday on February 7 to mourn the death of veteran singer Lata Mangeshkar.