Lata Mangeshkar and Ilaiyaraaja. (Photo: Ilaiyaraaja/Twitter) Music composer Ilaiyaraaja joined millions in paying tribute to late singer , who died due to Covid-19 related complications on Sunday, at the age of 92. In a recorded video message shared on Twitter, the music composer said that her death is a huge loss not just for the music industry, but for the whole world.
He wrote in his tweet, “Heartbroken, but blessed to have known her & for having worked with her.. loved this incredible voice & soul… Lataji holds a place in our hearts that is irreplaceable…. That’s how profoundly she has impacted our lives with her voice.”
In his video, he said in Tamil, “In the history of Indian film music, for the last six-seven decades, Lata ji mesmerised the world with her divine voice. I am deeply saddened at her death, which has left a big void in me. I don’t know how I will come out of this. Her demise is going to be a big loss not only for the music industry, but also for the whole world.”
Heartbroken, but blessed to have known her & for having worked with her.. loved this incredible voice & soul… Lataji holds a place in our hearts that is irreplaceable…. That’s how profoundly she has impacted our lives with her voice. pic.twitter.com/HEAWKaUTZs
— Ilaiyaraaja (@ilaiyaraaja) February 6, 2022
He added, “My deepest condolences to her family, Asha ji, Hridhayanath ji, Usha ji…” The late singer has voiced many of the composer’s songs, including “Valai Osai Kala Kalavena” in the Kamal Haasan-starrer Sathya. Recalling the story of how Mangeshkar came to record the song, Ilaiyaraaja had told The Hindu, “When I played the tune, Kamal Haasan liked it and wanted to use it in the film. But I said it should be rendered only by Lata Mangeshkar and he agreed. She was not fully confident when I sang it for her. But when we played the song after recording, her reaction was inexplicable.”
Ilaiyaraaja also shared some vintage photos of him and Mangeshkar in a second tweet.
Lata Mangeshkar will be cremated with full state honours at Mumbai’s Shivaji Park on Sunday, in the presence of PM Narendra Modi. Known as the Nightingale of India, her career spanned seven decades and over 25,000 songs. She has been conferred with India’s highest civilian honour, the Bharat Ratna.
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