CM Bhajan Lal Sharma pays tribute to Lata Mangeshkar on her birth anniversary
Synopsis
Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma offered tributes to legendary playback singer Lata Mangeshkar on her birth anniversary on 28 September 2026, calling her melodious voice and evergreen songs immortal gifts to India's cultural heritage.
Key Takeaways
Rajasthan CM Bhajan Lal Sharma posted a tribute to Lata Mangeshkar on her birth anniversary, 28 September 2026 .
Lata Mangeshkar, known as Swar Kokila (Nightingale of India), was awarded the Bharat Ratna in 2001 .
Her singing career spanned nearly seven decades , shaping Indian film and popular music from the late 1940s.
She passed away in February 2022 ; her birth anniversary is observed each year with tributes across party lines nationwide.
Sharma described her contribution as 'immortal' and said her songs continue to live in the hearts of people.
A voice that outlasts lifetimes turned 97 on 28 September 2026 — and across India, the tributes flowed as they do every year for Bharat Ratna awardee and legendary playback singer Lata Mangeshkar. Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma joined that chorus on Monday morning, posting a heartfelt homage on X to mark the birth anniversary of the woman immortalised as Swar Kokila — the Nightingale of India.
In his post, Chief Minister Sharma wrote: 'I bow in reverence countless times to Lata Mangeshkar ji, who enriched the world of music with her melodious voice, on her birth anniversary. Her tuneful voice and evergreen songs still live in the hearts of people. Her immortal contribution to the field of music will always be remembered.'
Seven decades, one voice — the legacy of Lata Mangeshkar
Lata Mangeshkar built one of the most extraordinary careers in the history of recorded music. Spanning nearly seven decades, her playback singing defined the emotional landscape of Indian cinema from the late 1940s onward, lending her voice to thousands of songs across Hindi and regional language films. She was awarded the Bharat Ratna — India's highest civilian honour — in 2001, a recognition that placed her among the rarest of artists.
She passed away in February 2022, but her recordings remain a living presence in Indian homes, at weddings, at memorials, and on national occasions. The September 28 anniversary has since become an annual moment of collective remembrance, observed across party lines and state boundaries — a rare point of cultural consensus in a divided public sphere.
Why political leaders across India mark this day
The tributes that pour in each 28 September are more than ritual courtesy. Lata Mangeshkar's voice is inseparable from post-independence Indian identity — her rendition of Ae Mere Watan Ke Logon famously moved Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru to tears in 1963. For elected leaders, honouring her is an acknowledgement that national culture, not just policy, is part of the job. Chief Minister Sharma's tribute fits squarely in that tradition, reflecting the enduring place she holds in the nation's collective memory.
Concerts and cultural events are typically held across states on this date each year to keep her musical heritage alive for younger generations — a tradition the anniversary continues to inspire.
Point of View
Honouring her aligns cultural nationalism with mainstream sentiment, reinforcing a vision of post-independence India in which music serves as a unifying national inheritance. The annual ritual of September 28 tributes also underscores how cultural icons increasingly function as soft political capital — markers of a leader's rootedness in the national imagination. At a time when political discourse is sharply polarised, Lata Mangeshkar remains one of the very few figures around whom consensus forms effortlessly.
NationPress
28 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
When is Lata Mangeshkar's birth anniversary?
Lata Mangeshkar was born on 28 September 1929 , and her birth anniversary is observed each year on that date with tributes and cultural events across India.
Why is Lata Mangeshkar called Swar Kokila?
Swar Kokila means 'Nightingale of India' in Hindi. The title was given to Lata Mangeshkar in recognition of her exceptionally melodious and enduring voice, which defined Indian playback singing for seven decades.
When did Lata Mangeshkar receive the Bharat Ratna?
Lata Mangeshkar was awarded the Bharat Ratna , India's highest civilian honour, in 2001 — one of only a handful of artists to have received it.
When did Lata Mangeshkar pass away?
Lata Mangeshkar passed away in February 2022 in Mumbai, following a period of illness. She was 92 years old.
What did Rajasthan CM Bhajan Lal Sharma say about Lata Mangeshkar?
Chief Minister Sharma said that Lata Mangeshkar's 'tuneful voice and evergreen songs still live in the hearts of people' and that her 'immortal contribution to the field of music will always be remembered.'
