What happened to Lata Mangeshkar? Legendary singer dies at 92 after multi-organ failure

Legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar breathed her last on Sunday due to multiple organ failure, her sister Usha Mangeshkar and doctors treating her said. She was 92. 

The singing legend was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the Breach Candy Hospital in South Mumbai in early January after she tested positive for COVID-19 with mild symptoms and was also diagnosed with pneumonia. Mangeshkar remained in the ICU for more than two weeks, following signs of marginal improvement in her health, following which the doctors treating her had taken her off the ventilator on January 28.

However, she was put on the ventilator again as her health started deteriorating from February 5 after which the team of doctors employed aggressive therapy to revive her.

Lata Mangeshkar died due to multi-organ failure: Doctor Samdani

"Lata di died at 8.12 am due to multi-organ failure after over 28 days of COVID-19 diagnosis," Dr Pratit Samdani, who was treating the veteran singer at the city's Breach Candy hospital in Mumbai, told reporters. The last rites will be held this evening.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he will be visiting Mumbai later in the day to pay his last respects to legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar. A two-day state mourning will be observed on the demise of the legendary singer on February 6 and 7. The national flag will fly at half-mast on Sunday and Monday throughout India and a state funeral will be accorded to her.

The body of the singer was first taken to her Pedder Road residence Prabhu Kunj and later to Shivaji Park for her multitude of fans to pay their respect before the funeral at Shivaji Park around 6.30 pm. Thousands of people gathered outside the hospital and lined the streets to pay their last respects to the woman whose voice they woke up to, listened to as they went about their day and as they turned in for the night, their accompaniment in every mood and every hour. 

Mumbai Police have beefed up security in and around the Shivaji Park in Dadar area for the funeral of veteran Lata Mangeshkar, an official told news agency PTI. Prominent personalities from the film industry, politicians and other well-wishers of the late singer are expected to arrive to pay tributes to her, hence traffic on some of the major roads here will be diverted, he said.

(With PTI inputs)