Parliament pays homage to Lata Mangeshkar

New Delhi: Both Houses of Parliament on Monday paid rich tributes to singing legend and 'Bharat Ratna' Lata Mangeshkar with Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu describing the country's "Nightingale and melody queen" as one who captured "every mood, moment and journey" of India during several decades of her illustrious career.

Soon after the Upper House assembled at 10 am, Venkaiah Naidu expressed sorrow at the passing away of Lata Mangeshkar. Her singing prowess has been as diverse as our country, he said. "Lata ji knitted our nation by representing us collectively and each one of us in our singularity. Besides defining the golden standard of playback singing through thousands of her melodious songs in many languages, she captured every mood, moment and journey of our nation for over seven decades,'' the Rajya Sabha Chairman said.

"Her distinguished and long career ran parallel to that of free India over the last 75 years, capturing the trials and tribulations of the times. India is struck silent with her passing away in the 75th year of Independence," the RS Chairman said.

He also said that she was a great philanthropist and founded the Lata Mangeshkar Medical Foundation, a public charitable trust which contributes towards the medical expenses of needy patients irrespective of caste, creed and religion.

She was bestowed with several awards like Padma Bhushan in 1999, Rajiv Gandhi Award in 1997, Bharat Ratna in 2001 apart from many other awards for her songs. She was also awarded the Dada Saheb Phalke award in 1989.

In the Lok Sabha too, soon after the House met at 4 pm, Speaker Om Birla read out the obituary message for Lata Mangeshkar and then adjourned the proceedings for an hour. The Speaker recalled her singing 'Sare Jahan Se Acha' in Central Hall during the golden jubilee celebrations of Indian independence in 1997.

The iconic singer had passed away due to multiple organ failure on Sunday at the age of 92.

She had been admitted to Mumbai's Breach Candy hospital on January 8 after she was diagnosed with Covid-19 and pneumonia.