Khattar pays tribute to Lata Mangeshkar on her birth anniversary
Synopsis
Union Power Minister Manohar Lal Khattar paid homage to legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar on her birth anniversary on September 28, calling her voice immortal and crediting her with placing Indian music on the global stage.
Key Takeaways
Union Power Minister Manohar Lal Khattar posted a tribute to Lata Mangeshkar on her birth anniversary, September 28 .
Khattar described her as the 'crown of the music world' and a 'great devotee of melody' whose voice remains eternal in public memory.
Lata Mangeshkar was awarded the Bharat Ratna in 2001 , India's highest civilian honour, for her unparalleled contribution to Indian music.
She recorded in over 36 languages across a career spanning more than seven decades.
Tributes to Lata Mangeshkar on her birth anniversary are a cross-party tradition observed annually by Indian political leaders.
A voice that once made millions weep, sing, and feel India — Lata Mangeshkar was born on September 28, and on her birth anniversary, Union Power Minister Manohar Lal Khattar offered a heartfelt tribute to the legendary singer, honouring her extraordinary legacy in Indian music and cinema.
Khattar wrote, calling her sangeet jagat ki sirmour, mahaan sur sadhika — 'the crown of the music world and a great devotee of melody' — and noted that her divine musical pursuit not only enriched Indian cinema but earned Indian music a distinct and celebrated identity on the world stage. 'Your incomparable and mesmerising voice,' he wrote, 'will always remain alive in our memories.'
A voice beyond the playback booth
Born in 1929, Lata Mangeshkar spent more than seven decades recording songs that became the emotional backbone of Indian cinema. She recorded in over 36 languages, her range spanning devotional hymns, patriotic anthems, and romantic ballads with equal mastery. She was awarded the Bharat Ratna — India's highest civilian honour — in 2001, in recognition of a career that fundamentally shaped how the world hears India.
Why Indian leaders pause every September 28
Her birth anniversary has become a fixed moment of national cultural remembrance. Leaders across party lines — ministers, chief ministers, and heads of state — use the date to publicly acknowledge what classical and film music owe to her. It is a practice that sits outside electoral politics: there is no scheme to announce, no policy to defend. The tribute is the point.
Khattar, a senior BJP leader and former Chief Minister of Haryana, joins that long tradition today. The gesture is modest in scale and immense in its cultural resonance — a reminder that India's political establishment continues to recognise the arts as central to national identity, not peripheral to it.
Lata Mangeshkar's voice did not belong to a generation. It belonged to the language of longing itself — and that, no anniversary can exhaust.
Point of View
Drawing on the vocabulary of classical devotion to frame her artistry as spiritual as much as cinematic. For a government that has repeatedly invoked India's civilisational soft power on global platforms, honouring Mangeshkar is entirely consistent with that broader cultural-nationalism arc. The tribute carries no policy weight, but its regularity across party lines signals something durable: in India, great art remains one of the few arenas where political rivalry reliably pauses.
NationPress
28 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
When is Lata Mangeshkar's birth anniversary?
Lata Mangeshkar was born on September 28, 1929 , and her birth anniversary is observed nationally every year on that date.
What is Manohar Lal Khattar's current role?
Manohar Lal Khattar is currently the Union Minister of Power and Housing and Urban Affairs in the Government of India, and is a senior BJP leader and former Chief Minister of Haryana.
Why was Lata Mangeshkar awarded the Bharat Ratna?
Lata Mangeshkar was awarded the Bharat Ratna in 2001 for her extraordinary contribution to Indian playback singing, recording songs in over 36 languages and elevating Indian music to global recognition over more than seven decades.
What did Khattar say about Lata Mangeshkar?
Khattar called her the 'crown of the music world' and a 'great devotee of melody,' stating that her divine musical pursuit enriched Indian cinema and gave Indian music a distinct identity worldwide, and that her mesmerising voice will remain alive in public memory forever.
Do Indian politicians regularly pay tribute to Lata Mangeshkar?
Yes. Honouring Lata Mangeshkar on her birth anniversary is a well-established, cross-party tradition in India, with leaders from across the political spectrum regularly posting tributes every September 28 .
