Did you know a Lata Mangeshkar concert helped raise funds for Goa's liberation struggle?

'Queen of melody' Lata Mangeshkar has passed away at the age of 92 in Mumbai's Breach Candy Hospital. The singer had been undergoing treatment for the past couple of weeks after having tested positive for COVID-19. Her mortal remains will be taken to Mumbai's Shivaji Park before the last rites. As the nation bids adieu to the legendary singer, people from all walks of life are now remembering the legacy of India's most distinguished vocalist.

The legendary singer is known for having one the longest and most illustrious careers. The singer has been an integral part of the country’s history. We all know Lata Mangeshkar sang "Aye mere watan ke logon..." to inspire the Indian troops and raise funds during the 1962 war against China, but a similar incident from her life is often forgotten. Interestingly, Lata Mangeshkar also has a connection in Goa’s history as she was a part of the state’ struggle for liberation from the Portuguese.

The Lata Mangeshkar concert which became part of Goa liberation movement 

Goa, in the early 1950s, was fighting to free itself from the grip of Portuguese rule. During the period, many from the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) joined hands with a few Azad Gomantak Dal fighters, led by the likes of Prabhakar Sinari, Prabhakar Trivikram Vaidya and attacked Nagar Haveli. The group took out the Portuguese post here and took control of the post from the colonisers in 1954. Following this, the RSS looked to accumulate money to fund the armed resistance fighters in Goa.

However, the Portuguese forces had Dadra, Nagar Haveli, Goa, Diu and Daman under control thus the resisting group could not act here. This is when music composer and classical singer Sudhir Phadke, who was an RSS volunteer agreed to conduct a concert with Lata Mangeshkar to raise funds. The veteran singer would later join the plan to raise funds for this nationalist cause.

Lata Mangeshkar's concert was held at Hira Baug in Pune sometime between 1954-55, through which the resisting RSS group collected money to fund the ousting of the Portuguese forces. Later, when quizzed about the incident in an interview, the veteran singer said that her father belonged to Goa and thus came her connection to the coastal state. She also added that her family was often visited by Veer Savarkar and that influenced them with patriotism. The singer’s concert, in which she took zero rupees to perform, was one of the most influential contributions to Goa’s fight for liberation.

Lata Mangeshkar passes away at 92

Legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar breathed her last on Sunday, 6th February. The veteran singer was in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of Breach Candy Hospital in Mumbai but there were no signs of improvement in her health and her health condition deteriorated. The singer lost her battle to COVID-19 after undergoing multiple days of treatment. Her death came as a huge shock for her friends and family. Fans and several people from the film fraternity have taken to their social media handles and are paying their tribute to the departed soul.

Image: PTI/ TWITTER