Mangeshkar family wants univ status for college in Lata’s name

The Maharashtra government started the Bharat Ratna Lata Dinanath Mangeshkar International College of Music in memory of the singer after her death last year.

Mumbai: Speaking at the programme ‘Latanjali’, organised by Mumbai BJP chief Ashish Shelar on Monday, Lata Mangeshkar’s nephew, Adinath, said that the government ought to give the college named after her the status of a university. The Maharashtra government started the Bharat Ratna Lata Dinanath Mangeshkar International College of Music in memory of the singer after her death last year.

Lata Mangeshkar’s nephew, Adinath, said he was thankful to the government for starting an institution in the name of his aunt, an artiste who had been showered with unimaginable love by the country. “The college is functioning from the premises of Ravindra Natya Mandir right now while its building is being constructed,” he said. “After it moves to the new building, the government should grant it the status of a university.” (HT PHOTO)

Adinath said he was thankful to the government for starting an institution in the name of his aunt, an artiste who had been showered with unimaginable love by the country. “The college is functioning from the premises of Ravindra Natya Mandir right now while its building is being constructed,” he said. “After it moves to the new building, the government should grant it the status of a university.”

Sources in the government said that once university status was granted, it reduced government interference to a great extent.

On Monday, Lata Mangeshkar’s sister, Usha, had asked that the coastal road be named after her. Adinath has now requested university status for the college. “We don’t believe she is no more. We feel she is still there,” he said, while thanking PM Narendra Modi for constructing a memorial in his aunt’s name.

Speaking at the function, chief minister Eknath Shinde assured the audience that no stone would be left unturned for erecting the Bharat Ratna Lata Dinanath Mangeshkar International Music College building. “Although Lata Didi is physically not present, her voice was and will always remain eternal,” he said. “Our lives are truly incomplete without it. There would not be a single person whose life is not touched by Lata Didi. Her mesmerising voice knows no bounds, no distinction of border, region, language and country. The Mangeshkar family has truly rendered great service to the music industry and has not only enriched Maharashtra but the country’s art and culture as well.”

Shinde said he was “fortunate” to be able to launch the Bharat Ratna Lata Dinanath Mangeshkar International Music College. “Although the work for this college was cleared with my signature, I was simply instrumental in getting it done,” he said. “All of us wanted to have an international college in the name of Lata Didi. Now we are glad it is taking shape in Kalina. Along with this, the Bharat Ratna Lata Mangeshkar Auditorium has also been constructed at Mira-Bhayander.”

Many female actors to whom Lata Mangeshkar lent her mellifluous voice over the decades were present at the musical concert. Hema Malini, Asha Parekh, Moushumi Chatterjee, Padmini Kolhapure, Neetu Kapoor, Bindu, Reena Roy, Poonam Dhillon, Raveena Tandon, Rani Mukherjee and Kajol shared the stage with Shinde, who was chief guest.