'India's Nightingale': The One and Only Lata Mangeshkar's Life in Pictures

Take a look at Lata Mangeshkar's life across the decades in this photo gallery.

A look at Lata Mangeshkar's life in pictures.

(Photo Courtesy: The Quint)

The legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar passed away on Sunday, 6 February. Lata Mangeshkar was born in 1929 to musician Deenanath Mangeshkar and Shevanti and was the oldest of five siblings.

Lata started working as an actor in her father’s plays at the age of 5. Her melodious voice soon became almost omnipresent in Indian cinema and she sang more than 25,000 songs in her lifetime. She has worked with artists like SD Burman, Kishore Kumar, Salil Chowdhury, and once even sang a duet with Dilip Kumar.

In a tribute to the 'Nightingale of Bollywood', here is her life in pictures:

Lata Mangeshkar was born on 28 September 1929.

Lata Mangeshkar's family: Her father Pandit Deenanath Mangeshkar, mother Shevanti, and her siblings.

Lata Mangeshkar with her sister Usha Mangeshkar.

Lata Mangeshkar with her siblings.

Lata Mangeshkar had three sisters-Meena, Asha, and Usha.

Lata Mangeshkar with her brother Hridaynath.

Taken for the promotions of her first classical performance on 9 September 1938 in Solapur.

Lata had started working as an actor in her father's plays when she was 5.

After her father, Lata was mentored by the likes of Master Vinayak, Ustad Aman Ali Khan, and Ghulam Haider.

Lata Mangeshkar with Baby Nanda in the movie Mandir (1948)

Lata Mangeshkar with her first car- a Hillman.

Lata's song for the 1942 Marathi film Kiti Hasaal was dropped from the final cut.

Lata Mangeshkar with Nargis, Raj Kapoor, Shashi Kapoor, and Shankar-Jaikishan at the premiere of Awaara.

The only song Dilip Kumar ever sang for a film was with Lata Mangeshkar and the song was 'Lagi Nahi Chhute' for Hrishikesh Mukherjee's Musafir (1957).

Veteran actor and filmmaker Raj Kapoor giving a massage to a young Lata Mangeshkar.

Raj Kapoor and Nargis with Lata Mangeshkar during the filming of Barsaat. Mangeshkar sang several songs in the film including 'Hawa Mein Udta Jaye' and 'Jiya Beqarar Hai'.

Lata Mangeshkar with Pushpa Hans and C Ramchandra, who sang some unforgettable duets with Lata.

C Ramchandra and Lata Mangeshkar sang songs like 'Jab Se Mili Hai Nazar', 'Kar De Zara Ishaara' and 'Shola Jo Bhadke'.

Lata Mangeshkar holding actor Rishi Kapoor as a baby.

Lata Mangeshkar and SD Burman's rumoured five-year break has been the talk of the industry for years but the duo gave memorable music to Bollywood as well.

Lata Mangeshkar and songwriter Salil Chowdhury recording for 1958 release Madhumati.

Composer Anthony Gonsalves conducting Lata Mangeshkar and Manna Dey in the St. Xavier's quadrangle in 1958.

Lata Mangeshkar, in the 1960s, performing at the first Maharashtra Day celebrations. Former PM Jawaharlal Nehru and composer Vasant Desai can also be seen.

Lata Mangeshkar and composer Jaidev Verma's collaboration for the song 'Har Saans' in the 1963 film Kinare Kinare is one for the ages.

Lata Mangeshkar with Hemanta Mukherjee and Biswajit Chatterjee, who worked together for Bees Saal Baad.

Two legends in a frame: Lata Mangeshkar with Mohammed Rafi.

Lata Mangeshkar with a young Bappi Lahiri.

Lata Mangeshkar and her sister Usha with music director Chitragupta at the recording of the 1964 film Samson.

Lata Mangeshkar and Kishore Kumar were frequent collaborators in the 60s.

Lata Mangeshkar shared this picture on Majrooh Sultanpuri's death anniversary. The duo worked on hits like 'Tune O Rangeele', 'Mehboob Mere', 'Tujhse Naraz Nahi Zindagi', and 'Ghum Hai Kisi Ke Pyar Mein'.

Majrooh Sultanpuri, Lata Mangeshkar, Naushad, and Mohammed Rafi.

The Mangeshkar siblings performing together.

Lata Mangeshkar with the 'tragedy queen' Meena Kumari. Mangeshkar lent her voice to the evergreen song 'Ajeeb Dastaan Hai Ye'.

The cover art, painted by Usha Mangeshkar, for the LP 'Mangeshkar Sisters' (1970) with songs from Lata, Meena, Usha, and Asha Bhosle.

Gulzar, Madan Mohan, Bhupinder Singh and Lata Mangeshkar during the recording of 'Dil Dhoondta'.

The song, the four worked on, is from the 1975 film Mausam.

Lata Mangeshkar and sister Asha Bhosle; both are some of India's most popular playback singers.

When Lata Mangeshkar had a falling out with SD Burman, Asha Bhosle worked with the composer.

1978: Producer Gulshan Rai, director Yash Chopra, Lata Mangeshkar, Nitin Mukesh, and music director Khayyam at the recording for a song in 'Trishul'.

In a picture from 1979, Lata Mangeshkar with Usha, Asha Bhosle, Meena Khadikar, and Hridaynath with their mother. Also present are Asha's children Varsha, Hemant, and Anand.

RD Burman recorded many songs with Kishore Kumar, inc. duets with Asha Bhosle and Lata Mangeshkar (all seen in the pic) namely ‘Bahut Door Mujhe’, ‘Dhal Gayi Rang’, ‘Hum Tum Se Mile’, and ‘Kaisi Lagrahi Hoon Mein’.

Lata Mangeshkar and Asha Bhosle with Pakistani singer Noor Jehan.

Lata Mangeshkar idolised the singer and the two Queens of Melody from India and Pakistan always shared a sense of mutual admiration. 

Lata Mangeshkar and RD Burman (affectionately called Pancham da). The latter married Mangeshkar's sister Asha in 1980.

Lata Mangeshkar, Amitabh Bachchan, Jaya Bachchan, Yash Chopra, and others at the recording for 'Yeh Kahan Aa Gaye Hum' for Silsila (1981).

Lata Mangeshkar lent her vocals to the song 'Aye Mere Watan Ke Logon' which was written by Kavi Pradeep.

Lata Mangeshkar and Yash Johar clicked with singer Sunidhi Chauhan when she won the reality show Meri Aawaz Suno in 1996.

The 'Nightingale of Bollywood' also had international fame which led to her receiving a warm welcome to the White House by Hillary and Bill Clinton in 2001.

Lata Mangeshkar also met Beatles member George Harrison.

Lata Mangeshkar (seen here with Kishore Kumar) was awarded with India's highest civilian honour, the Bharat Ratna, in 2001.

Lata Mangeshkar sang for almost every film produced by Yash Johar.

Yash Chopra used Madan Mohan's unused music after his death for Veer-Zaara and Lata Mangeshkar sang in the film.

In 2011, Lata Mangeshkar released Sarhadein: Music Beyond Boundaries with the song 'Tera Milna Bahut Acha Lage' sung by her and Mehdi Hassan.

Lata Mangeshkar became the first recipient of the Yash Chopra memorial award in 2013.

Lata Mangeshkar was conferred with West Bengal's highest civilian honour, the Banga Bibhushan, in 2016 when she was around 87 years old.