Here Are Some Rare & Interesting Facts About Lata Mangeshkar - The Nightingale Of India

(File Photo)

Fondly termed as Didi and the Nightingale of India, Lata Mangeshkar turned 91-year-old today. The legendary singer rules a million hearts from over five decades and as she celebrates her birthday today, we bring to you some rare & interesting facts about the talented singer who is a living legend.

She was born as Hema to a Goan father and a Gujrati mother in the princely state of Indore on the 28th of September 1929. Her name was later changed to Lata that was inspired by ‘Latika,’ a popular character from her father’s play titled Bhaaw Bandhan.

Lata Mangeshkar attended school only for a day because she wasn’t allowed to bring her sister Asha Bhosle along with her.

In the year 1938, she sang publicly for first time at the age of nine at the Nutan Theatre, Sholapur. She sang two Marathi songs and Raag Khambawati.

In the year 1945, Master Vinayak, who was a family friend of Mangeshkars and was taking care of them after the father’s death, offered her a minor role in his first Hindi film, Badi Maa.

Raj Kapoor originally wanted to make Satyam Shivam Sunderam with Lataji in the lead. The film's story film was inspired by Lataji's life.

Sashadhar Mukherjee, a renowned producer, had earlier dismissed Lata Mangeshkar’s voice as ‘too thin.’

Lata Ji initially used to imitate the voice of Noor Jehan, an acclaimed playback singer and actress of those times.

The category of best playback singer at the Filmfare Awards was introduced in 1959 after Lata Mangeshkar’s protest.

The legendary singer was once given slow poison by some unidentified person because of which she was bedridden for almost 3 months.

Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru was moved to tears when Lata Ji sang the iconic song Aye Mere Watan Ke Logo on January 26, 1963.

Lata Mangeshkar is the first-ever Indian singer to have performed at the Royal Albert Hall in London (1974)

Lata Mangeshkar was a recipient of the Bharat Ratna in the year 2001, India’s highest civilian honor. Here's wishing the legendary singer a very happy and blissful birthday!