Prime Minister Narendra Modi was honoured with the first Lata Deenanath Mangeshkar Award.
This award is instituted in memory of Bharat Ratna Lata Mangeshkar, will be given every year exclusively to one individual for exemplary contribution towards nation building.
Lata died at 92 in February last.
“She gave voice to India before independence, and the country’s journey of these 75 years was also associated with her voice”, said the Prime Minister in his address to the ceremony.
The Prime Minister talked about the strand of patriotism in the Mangeshkar family.
He said “Along with the song, the consciousness of patriotism that was within Lata Didi, her father was the source of it’.
Modi narrated the incident when a song written by Veer Savarkar was sung by Dinanath ji in a program of the British Viceroy in Shimla during the freedom struggle.
The song was written by Veer Savarkar challenging the British rule.
“This feeling of patriotism was given in inheritance to his family by Deenanath ji”, said the Prime Minister.
“Lata ji made music her worship but patriotism and national service also got inspiration through her songs”, the prime minister said.
“Lata ji’s notes worked to unite the whole country. Globally too, she was India’s cultural ambassador”, he said.
She sang thousands of songs in more than 30 languages, he said.
“We are fortunate to have seen this capability and strength of music, in the form of Lata Didi”, he said. On a personal note, Modi said “for me, Lata Didi was the ‘Sur Samragyi’ as well as my elder sister. What can be a greater privilege than to have received the love of a sister from Lata Didi, who has given the gift of love and emotion to generations”..
India is providing leadership in areas like yoga, Ayurveda and environment, “I believe, our Indian music is also an important part of this contribution…, let us keep this heritage alive with the same values and carry it forward, and make it a medium of world peace”, Modi said.
Governor of Maharashtra Shri Bhagat Singh Koshyari, Members of Mangeshkar Family were among those present in the ceremony held at Mumbai on Sunday.
