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Story of Lata Mangeshkar's 'one true love': The royal who fought his family, never married after families objected
Why Raj Singh, the prince of the erstwhile kingdom of Dungarpur, never married Lata Mangeshkar, despite the two being in love for years.
When Lata Mangeshkar, arguably the greatest and most influential singer in modern Indian history, died a few years ago, a number of tributes were written for her. News portals carried stories about little-known facts from her life. One was about her love for cricket, and how she received free tickets for every match the Indian team played in the country. That story omitted to tell the backstory behind this, though. The man who made this possible was a former cricketer, administrator, and someone often referred to as Lata's only 'romantic partner' - Raj Singh Dungarpur. (Also read: When Lata Mangeshkar talked about ‘ajeeb sa khalipan’ that people's deaths leave behind)
Who was Raj Singh Dungarpur?
Born in the erstwhile princely state of Dungarpur in the Rajputana, Raj Singh was the youngest son of Maharawal Lakshman Singhji, the ruler of Dungarpur. As Rajkumar, he was a cricket aficionado, playing the Ranji Trophy and Duleep Trophy for Rajasthan and Central Zone, respectively, from 1955-71. After his retirement, he worked as an administrator, managing the national team on many tours before serving as the President of the BCCI for two terms in the 1990s.
Raj Singh Dungarpur and Lata Mangeshkar's relationship
Raj Singh and Lata met in the 60s through her brother, Hridaynath Mangeshkar, who was friends with the then-cricketer. Reports stated that love blossomed immediately. While Raj Singh was not the heir to the throne of Dungarpur, he was still the king's son and the future king's brother. As a result, his family was opposed to the match. Lata's family, too, wanted a Marathi groom for her. Gossip magazines of the time wrote about Raj Singh fighting his family for her but eventually relenting. The two remained close for the remainder of their lives. Neither married.
Years later, in 2004, in an interview with Mid-Day, Raj Singh spoke about them not marrying. "This is a very personal matter. But we came from different backgrounds '60s was very different. Perhaps, both were very attached to their respective families. It was one of those things that just didn't happen. But that has neither enhanced the relationship, nor has it reduced. She is the treasure house of my admiration and affection and I continue to be in touch with her," he said.
Lata, on the other hand, maintained silence about her relationship with Raj Singh in public. She referred to him as her close friend and confidante. When an article once referred to the cricket administrator as her 'one true love', Lata was asked to comment on it. In an interview with Hindustan Times, she simply replied, “There are some things only for the heart to know. Let me keep it that way.”
Their later lives
Raj Singh Dungarpur served as a selector and manager to the Indian cricket team from 1988-2006. His last stint with India was as the manager for a tour to Pakistan. He died in 2009 in Mumbai at the age of 73. Lata Mangeshkar continued singing into her 80s and 90s. She died in 2022 at the age of 92.
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