INDIA THIS WEEK FRIDAY FEBRUARY 11. 2022 1 A W e e k l y N e w s p a p e r Fe a t u r i n g N e w s & Tr e n d s f r o m t h e I n d i a n S u b - C o n t i n e n t P u b l i s h e d f r o m t h e U S C a p i t a l Website: www.indiathisweek.online Vol. 30 No: 6 WASHINGTON D.C • Phone: 301-917-4800; 301-445-0200 / 301-445-3543 email: indiathisweekads@gmail.com • Friday . February 11, 2022 Legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar passes away at 92 M u m b a i (Maharashtra) [India], February 6 (ANI): Legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar passed away on Sunday at the age of 92 years, informed Union Minister Nitin Gadkari. “The country’s pride and music world’s Shirmor Swar Kokila Bharat Ratna Lata Mangeshkar ji’s demise is very sad. My heartfelt tribute to the holy soul. Her passing is an irreparable loss to the country. She was always an inspiration to all the music seekers,” Gadkari tweeted after he visited Breach Candy Hospital in Mumbai. “Lata didi was an intense patriot. She has always had a firm faith in the ideology of Swatantraveer Savarkar. Her life has been full of many achievements. Lata ji has always been an inspiration to all of us for good deeds. Her contribution to Indian music is incomparable,” he said in another tweet. The megastar had been admitted to Mumbai’s Breach Candy hospital on January 8 after she was diagnosed with COVID-19 and pneumonia. Though having recovered from COVID, the star singer was put on ventilator support after her condition worsened on Saturday. Dr Pratit Samdani, who was treating Lata Mangeshkar at Mumbai’s Breach Candy Hospital, said today, “It is with profound grief that we announce the sad demise of Lata Mangeshkar at 8:12 am. She has died because of multiorgan failure after more than 28 days of hospitalisation post-COVID-19.” Dr Pratit Samdani, revealed that Lata Uttarakhand, April 24 (ANI): Jawans carry out rescue operation at the site of avalanche at the Sumna area of Joshimath Sector, in Chamoli on Saturday. (ANI Photo) K a m e n g (Arunachal Pradesh) [India], February 8 (ANI): Seven Army personnel, who were hit by an avalanche in a highaltitude area of the Kameng sector in Arunachal Pradesh have been confirmed dead and their bodies retrieved from the avalanche site, the Army said on Tuesday. The soldiers were stuck in an avalanche on February 6. An Army statement said search and rescue operations, which were launched immediately on February 6 including airlifting of specialized teams, have now been concluded. “Bodies of all seven individuals have been recoveredfromtheavalanche site. Unfortunately, despite the best efforts of everyone involved, all seven have been confirmed deceased,” it stated. The area, located at an altitude of 14,500 feet, had been witnessing inclement weather with heavy snowfall for the last few days. The bodies of the soldiers are currently being transferred from the avalanche site to the nearest Army medical facility for further formalities, the Army said. President Ram Nath Kovind on Tuesday expressed condolences over the death of Army personnel after they were hit by an avalanche in Arunachal Pradesh. The President said that the soldiers laid down their lives in the service of the country and Mangeshkar passed away due to miltiple organ failure. “It is with profound grief that we announce the sad demise of #LataMangeshkar at 8:12am. She has died because of multi-organ failure after more than 28 days of hospitalisation post #COVID19,” Dr Samdani informed. Union Minister Pralhad Joshi also expressed condolences over Mangeshkar’s demise. “Sad to learn about the demise of Swar Kokila, Lata Mangeshkar Ji. She enriched our lives for decades with her soulful voice. The nightingale of India has passed away but she will live in our hearts forever. Om Shanti,” Joshi tweeted. Mangeshkar was an Indian playback singer and occasional music composer and was popularly known as “Nightingale of India” for her melodious voice. Born on September 28, 1929, she began her career in the year 1942 at the age of 13. In a career spanning over seven decades, the melody queen recorded songs for over a thousand Hindi films. She had sung songs in over thirty-six regional Indian languages and foreign languages. In 2001, in recognition of her contributions to the nation, she was awarded the Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian honour and is only the second vocalist, after MS Subbulakshmi, to receive this honour. She’s also the recipient of three National Film Awards among many other honours she received during the span of her career. ‘Aye Mere Vatan Ke Logon’, ‘Babul Pyare’, Lag Ja Gale Se Phir’ among others are some of her iconic songs. Mangeshkar is survived by four younger siblings- Asha Bhosle, Hridaynath Mangeshkar, Usha Mangeshkar and LATA MANGESHKAR SEE PAGE 6 7 Army personnel die after being hit by avalanche in Arunachal Pradesh Remember: Nothing in life is to be feared, it is only to be understood. Now is the time to understand more, so that we may fear less. – Marie Curie Jawans carry out rescue operation at the site of avalanche at the Sumna area of Joshimath Sector, in Chamoli on Saturday. (ANI Photo) their “selfless sacrifice” families,” President Kovind the Army personnel, the will be remembered. “The tweeted. Prime Minister said their death of soldiers due to an P r i m e “exemplary” services to the avalanche in Arunachal MinisterNarendra Modi nation will not be forgotten. Pradesh is a tragedy beyond on Tuesday condoled the “Saddened by the loss of lives words. The brave soldiers demise of Indian Army of Indian Army personnel laid down their lives for personnel who lost their due to an avalanche in the service of the nation. lives due to an avalanche Arunachal Pradesh. We will Their selfless sacrifice will in Arunachal Pradesh. never forget their exemplary always be remembered. Expressing condolences service to our nation. My condolences to their to the bereaved families of Condolences to the bereaved families,” the Prime Minister tweeted. Congress MP Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday expressed his grief over the death of seven army personnel in Arunachal Pradesh in an avalanche tragedy. “Saddened to know of the death of Army Personnel in avalanche tragedy in Arunachal Pradesh. My deepest condolences to their family and friends. We salute the martyrs,” said a tweet from Gandhi. Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday expressed grief over the death of seven army personnel in an avalanche tragedy at Andhra Pradesh. He extended his condolences to the bereaved families of the deceased Army personnel. “Deeply pained by the demise of Indian Army personnel who were struck by an avalanche in ARMY PERSONNEL SEE PAGE 11
February 11, 2022 INDIA THIS WEEK Friday Indian tricolour flies at half-mast at Indian embassy in Washington to mourn demise of Lata Mangeshkar Washington [US], A SMART CHOICE 140+ degrees & certificates 7 Online Degrees hundreds of online classes Flexible Course Schedules Dual Enrollment earn college credit in high school Supportive Faculty 17:1 student to faculty ratio Up to 50% Savings on tuition costs compared to public four-year colleges and universities montgomerycollege.edu/educate 100+ seamless transfer pathways to four-year schools February 7 (ANI): The national flag ‘Tricolour’ was flying at half-mast at the Indian embassy in Washington DC to mourn the demise of legendry singer Lata Mangeshkar. The two-day national mourning will be observed in memory of Lata Mangeshkar, government sources informed on Sunday. The national flag will fly at halfmast for two days as a mark of respect and will be given a State funeral, they added. All the Indian missions in the US and the world are flying the tricolour at half-mast in memory of the legendary singer. “@IndianEmbassyUS pay heartfelt tributes to Bharat Ratna Lata Mangeshkar Ji. Her legacy as an icon of Indian music and culture is eternal and will continue to inspire all of us,” tweeted Ambassador of India to the US, Taranjit Singh Sandhu. PMModi on Monday paid glowing tributes to legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar at the beginning of his speech on the motion of thanks to the President’s Address in the Lok Sabha. Lok Sabha was on Monday adjourned till 5 pm to condole the demise of singer Lata Mangeshkar who passed away recently. Earlier today, Rajya Sabha was also adjourned for an hour as a mark of respect to Lata Mangeshkar who passed away on Sunday. Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu paid tribute to the legendary singer and former Member of the House, Lata Mangeshkar by making an obituary reference ahead of beginning the day’s proceedings of the house and as a mark of respect adjourned the house for an hour. Rajya Sabha members also observed a minute’s silence as they paid tribute to the legendary singer. The house reconvened at 11.05 am. Lata Mangeshkar was a nominated member of the Upper House from November 1999 till November 2005. The last rites with full State honours of the legendary singer were performed on Sunday at Shivaji Park in Mumbai. (ANI) M u m b a i (Maharashtra) [India], February 6 (ANI): The last rites of legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar were conducted at Shivaji Park on Sunday in Mumbai with full state honours. The vehicle in which her body was taken to the stadium was completely decorated with white flowers and also had a massive photo of hers. The coffin in which her mortal remains were placed was also wrapped in tricolour as the army marched along. For the final rites, Prime Minister Narendra Modi came to pay his last respects. Several celebrities were present at the funeral including actor Shah Rukh Khan, actor Ranbir Kapoor, actor Aamir Khan, actor Shraddha Kapoor, cricketer Sachin Tendulkar, singer Anuradha Podwal, musician Shankar Mahadevan, actor Vidya Balan and her husband and producer Siddharth Roy Kapur. They paid floral tributes to the late iconic singer. Prominent ministers including Uddhav Thackeray, Raj Thackeray, Aaditya Thackeray, Piyush Goyal and Sharad Pawar were also present. Officials of the Indian armed forces carried her mortal remains and paid the full state honours. Eight priests dressed in white arrived to conduct the final rites. Blocks of sandalwood were placed at her body while the priests chanted the mantras. Late Lata Mangeshkar‘s brother Hridaynath accompanied by his son Aadinath Mangeshkar lit the funeral pyre. She also received a gun salute during the last rites. Lata Mangeshkar cremated with full state honours in Mumbai
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February 11, 2022 Friday INDIA THIS WEEK A business has no business to be in politics: An Interview with Krishna Saagar Rao by Mihir Jaiswal A few days ago, I had a privilege to sit down with Krishna Saagar Rao, an organizational strategist and author. His multi-faceted personality and strategic nuance made the interaction a learning experience for me. His devotion to India’s nation building led him to be active in politics as a BJP spokesperson. In addition to a successful businessman, result oriented strategist, and political leader, he is also an author. In nutshell, he is a true influencer. He talked at length about his core competency of strategic consulting, his reflection on business growth and life’s journey. He also explained the difference in Indian and American entrepreneurial climate as well as expressed concerns at modern education’s lack of effectiveness. Mihir: As we are meeting right now in Manassas, VA, What does bring you here? Mr. Rao: I’ve been traveling to US since 1994. After Bharat, I have heart for the United States of America. I always take time off to come visit US as an extension of my work: Strategic consulting. I do board level intervention for medium and large businesses to go to the next level for exponential growth. Strategic growth management is my core competence. Mihir: You mentioned board level interventions. What does it mean? Mr. Rao: Any business is, generally, initiated by a promoter to deliver some goods or services. Promoter by himself can not get the business to be a big business. As a startup, promoter tries to do everything by himself and then hire people to grow business step by step. Most of the businesses, about 80%, disappear within three years. About 20% make it to the next level and those 20% businesses are the ones that get proper advise, guidance, mentoring and also strategic intervention. My specialization is in the area of hand holding for medium businesses to drive them to become large businesses and also startups and small businesses to become medium businesses. If you don’t have foundation before you build, if you don’t have a plan and resources to execute that plan than you will not be able to build a building. Even if you build it, it will collapse without foundation. Businesses are no different. Ideally, this 80-20 disaster should be inverted. Only 20% of businesses should fail. Thus, board level intervention is a strategic exercise where someone expert in organic and inorganic growth strategies builds a plan for the company understanding where it stands today and leads the company to the next level as per the promoter’s vision. If they don’t have a vision, we also build a vision for them. Mihir: Wonderful. Your answer had few different types of companies like small, medium, large. There are other words also like startups and unicorns. In your opinion, how do they differ? How do you advise them similarly or differently? Mr. Rao: Very good question, Mihir. One size doesn’t fit all. Each organization has to be understood from the perspective of promoters and markets. Once you get these two, I bring the third perspective to the table. Sometimes companies don’t recognize the market and sometimes they don’t have products for the right market. And there are some other factors, which lead organizations to collapse. What I do is connect those dots. A startup might require guidance at how to professionalize their business, as startups are just individuals. What they require is to mobilize resources including human, material or financial resources. I give them tools to drive them in that direction. Out of a lot of Indian-American businesses here, only few of them go to the big league. In fact, we are still to hit the real big league. We have CEOs who are in big league but we don’t have businesses in the big league. Those companies require different kind of advice. I, as a professional, recognize that different companies need different advice. I intervene not just to advise, but handheld those CEOs until they go to the next level. Mihir: Can you give an example of one success story? Mr. Rao: Matrix biosciences has been hand held by me right from the inception and I have extended strategic support for the acquisition of this company by Cargil, USA. I have supported Oracle and Cocacola at a very early stage for their set up in India through coaching senior executives. I have also advised Air India and Indian airlines. I actually advised the government at that time against unification of them. I gave you examples of small, big and public sector firm. Some of the companies’ name I can not take because of non-disclosure. Mihir: Do you see any pattern of shortcomings in the companies you advise? Mr. Rao: You are so right in the questions you are asking. There is a pattern in human behavior and how entrepreneurs think. There is a cultural aspect to it as well. In India, entrepreneurs think differently. In US, entrepreneurs think differently. Entrepreneurs all around the world think differently. Sometimes you are advising someone who doesn’t have an orientation for the advice. To Indian American companies here, who are led by IT consultants, I tell them you have to reorganize your structure and create a corporate structure that enables a base to grow bigger. Don’t put all your eggs in one staffing business. And they feel by structuring the business they lose control of their company. That’s a pattern. 90-95% IT staffing businesses that are run by Indian Americans do not grow beyond a point. They may increase their profitability, but they rarely become bigger in structure and size. You don’t have a business model that can be compounded. An immigration policy or economical cycle hit you, you are out of business. Because America is a textbook capitalist company and they have an ecosystem, which allows you to operate freely in business. Their minds are completely different and they respect the professional advice. I see it and I admire it. They understand if you are professional or fake. If capitalists structure their business and drive the business transparently – even if not listed – that showcases the possibility of an economic rise. Publicly listed companies have to be transparent, but in India, many listed companies are also not transparent. That makes Indian economy a challenging economy. If we don’t change these aspect of increased domestic investment and reorienting businesses to be responsible, transparent with social and fiscal accountability to the regulator, government and shareholders, than whatever we try to do to build an economy we are on a treadmill, not going very far. Mihir: You make a good point about different systems and capitalism. You talked about mindset and system of capitalism. I was recentlyreadingBlackrock’s CEO’s annual letter about the power of capitalism and its impact. That made me think that USA is built on a system where companies are created for growth or acquisition. With India not built on such a system, even if with a good mindset, India would always be chasing America, wouldn’t it? Mr. Rao: You don’t need to be like America. India has a civilization advantage, which we haven’t claimed yet. We are 6000 years old geographical civilization. Unfortunately, our folks and national leaders whom I blame, haven’t claimed legacy of their own civilization. Instead, they have become such slaves to colonial mindsets, when the British left on 15th august 1947, 16th august was just another day. Our national leaders didn’t recognize 700 years of mental oppression and slavery and continued the path that British laid. It showcased the enslaved mindset of leaders then. I am saying it with full responsibility. There was no time for building the nation, nation values or framework that India could operate on. Don’t fall for western carrot or model all the time. Capitalism is not human. I am not calling it inhumane, but it is driven by greed. I believe there has to be a national campaign for nation building. It is not building dams and infrastructure, but building the core values on which a nation can stand. Its businesses can stand. You pointed out correctly that our country lacks a system. Yes, it does. When I say that, I sound politically wrong, but it pains me to see India like this. Modiji is trying his bit, but from the ground up people need to recognize the need for change. Thus, I am not saying copy the American system, but find a system that works for India. Ensure there is an autopilot and reliable pattern of activities that is expected to deliver results. Mihir: Very nicely said. When I read your profile, I understand you have authored books. You are also a spokesperson for BJP. The way I see it, you have been influencing people through those mediums. Where does this KRISHNA SAGAR RAO SEE PAGE 5
FRIDAY FEBRUARY 11. 2022 5 A business has no business to be in politics: An Interview of Krishna Saagar Rao by Mihir Jaiswal KRISHNA SAGAR RAO FROM PAGE 4 motivation and skills to influence come from? Is there something buried in your childhood that led to this success? Mr. Rao: My father inspired me to continue to add value despite the outcome. It is very karmic ideology that just do whatever you possibly can do without worrying about outcome. However, I do worry about outcomes. I do not think about myself, but I do worry about national outcomes. I sacrificed ten years of my corporate career, left it for politics. I expected that politics and governance will embrace me and I will deliver for my country through my party. Mihir: You moved into politics from successful corporate career. How did you start your corporate career and did you have any help similar to what you provide to businesses currently? Mr. Rao: No. I never had any external help. I was a young man out of my MBA and wanted to do something different. I have never worked as an employee for any firm. I started an enterprise in collaboration with an American company. The American company was a consigner who entered the India at that time with business-to-business sales proposition of lots of products like toys, books, electronics etc. That’s how I took off and I built around 27 sales offices for them in a span of 1.5 years. I was the fastest growing associate for them. Then the economic cycle forced the company to wind up their business. During that time, I started traveling to US for them in 1994. They realized that I could be a good sales coach for them. I started coaching their sales offices worldwide. I incorporated a business in India, providing corporate training and expanded into strategic consulting. In 2012, I exited my business to join politics. I was then at the peak of my career handling 16 big clients. Mihir: What was the trigger when you made the switch to politics? Mr. Rao: The trigger was the seeds sown by my father. He always lived for others. He had ancestral wealth, but he never believed in multiplying wealth. He was never worried about what I was making. He was always worried about what I was giving. When I reached financial security, if I were to make more money it would be only for my family and me. If I were to join politics, I can contribute to the country. I needed an instrument. BJP was closer to my ideology of nation first and integral humanism, not caste, creed or religion. BJP was not family driven party and has been led by tallest leaders from the day it was founded. I could not find a better way to serve my country than join BJP. Mihir: Where is your ancestral origin? Mr. Rao: I am from a village called Muthyampet from Karimnagar district in Telangana. Mihir: You have been visiting US for decades. You have seen both countries. How do you see both countries interacting with each other and learning about each other’s competencies and ambitions? Mr. Rao: I see lot of similarities and differences. There are some shared values between United States and India. After the colonial era ended, US did the right thing and took time to plan their country. They had a plan before they build the nation. Nation building exercise happened to this country unlike any other country. They defined values, they planned their journey. The founding fathers created a framework with which society can go forward. This is dissimilarity. India did not start with a nation building. We didn’t have plans. The similarity is we both are functional democracies and have ambitions to be more transparent, socially responsible, economically and militarily superior, to ensure distribution of wealth and equality in society. America has done good to reduce inequalities, which India is doing right now. Both are knowledgebased, hard working and enterprising societies. Politically they are doing well. Geo-political scenario is at its pick for cooperation between two countries. I see a whole lot of partnerships growing between two countries including trade partnerships. Mihir: There have been several discussion and movements around racial, gender and financial inequalities and minimum wages in this country. I am not asking you to take a stand on any of them. Younger generation demands that businesses take stand on such issues. How do you advise businesses to take any stand? Mr. Rao: My strategic advice to any business is to stay away from politics and appeasing political messaging. There are lots of companies that make the mistake of taking sides. I would advise against that. A business has no business to be in politics. And politics has no business to be in business in a capitalist country like US. Unfortunately, I see a trend in America where the line between business and politics is getting thinner. Companies are being branded as republicans vs democrats. Polarization of public in the name of ideology when they don’t have bare minimum understanding of ideology is not good. They are influenced by social messaging without reading the core policies. The politics of appeasement will hurt US one day. I consider US my second home and this situation pains me. Mihir: At the end, being a writer, I have to ask where do you get motivation to write? Do you follow any process? Mr. Rao: I will share my blog with you, which I have converted into a book now – ‘Reflections of a thought leader’, which has about 200 pieces. My motivation is value edition. Because I am not given a role in government, this is my own way of creating value. The format of my writing is quite spontaneous and free flowing. I do plan ideas and subjects. I keep collating few points mentally, but I don’t do bullet points or layout. I generally try to finish my article in one go. It generally takes me 4-5 hours to write a 1000 words article. Few times, I have taken breaks and completed the articles next day. Mihir: Thank you, Mr. Rao. Those were all the questions I had. If you would like to tell anything that was not asked during the interview, please tell now. Mr. Rao: You asked everything. One thing I want to say is that the next two generations are very critical in US and India. I foresee a lot of trouble based on how orientation of youth is going south. Social media and gadgets are the reasons. The lack of human skills is startling. Our children are not growing the way the earlier generations grew. We also had differences with previous generation, but the distance between next generation and us is way wider than the distance between us and previous generation. I see today’s education has become irrelevant. I have created a model and I am pitching it to few leaders. The young people of this generation have very less emotional expression. Most of them have become emotionless zombies. If we do not address our education and make it relevant, the day is not very far, where AI and humanoid robotics led technology actually takes over the human enterprise.
February 11, 2022 Friday INDIA THIS WEEK Legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar passes away at 92 LATA MANGESHKAR FROM PAGE 1 Meena Mangeshkar. Two-day national mourning, State funeral for Lata Mangeshkar: Govt sources Two-day national mourning to be observed in memory of Lata Mangeshkar, government sources informed on Sunday. The national flag to fly at half-mast for two days, as a mark of respect, and will be given a State funeral, they added. Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed condolences over the demise of legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar and said that she leaves a void in our nation that cannot be filled. In a series of tweets, PM Modi said that the singer has always wanted to see a strong and developed India. “I am anguished beyond words. The kind and caring Lata Didi has left us. She leaves a void in our nation that cannot be filled. The coming generations will remember her as a stalwart of Indian culture, whose melodious voice had an unparalleled ability to mesmerise people,” PM Modi tweeted. “Lata Didi’s songs brought out a variety of emotions. She closely witnessed the transitions of the Indian film world for decades. Beyond films, she was always passionate about India’s growth. She always wanted to see a strong and developed India,” he said in another tweet. The Prime Minister said that his interactions with Lata Mangeshkar will remain unforgettable. “I consider it my honour that I have always received immense affection from Lata Didi. My interactions with her will remain unforgettable. I grieve with my fellow Indians on the passing away of Lata Didi. Spoke to her family and expressed condolences. Om Shanti,” he tweeted. Former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh on Sunday condoled the demise of legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar and said that India has lost a great daughter. “I have learnt with deepest sorrow about the passing away of Lata Mangeshkar. India has lost a great daughter,” the former Prime Minister said in a statement. Condoling the demise of the singer, he said that it is an immense loss to the nation. “She was the “Nightingale of India” and through her songs made an immense contribution to the cultural integration of the country. Her passing away is an immense loss to our nation and the void is going to be impossible to fill,” Dr Manmohan Singh said. “My wife and I send our heartfelt condolences to the members of Lataji’s family, and we pray to God for the peace of the departed soul,” he added. Vice President Naidu condoles Lata Mangeshkar’s death, says India has lost its voice Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu on Sunday mourned singing icon Lata Mangeshkar’s demise and said she will continue to live in the hearts of millions of admirers through her timeless melodies. “I am extremely saddened by the demise of Lata Mangeshkar Ji, the Nightingale of Indian Cinema and legendary singer. India has lost its voice in the death of Lata Ji, who has enthralled music lovers in India & across the globe with her mellifluous & sublime voice for many decades,” the Vice President tweeted. “She was truly a musical Ratna and had ruled the Hindi Cinema like a Queen for several decades. Her demise has left a void that cannot be filled. Lata Ji will continue to live in the hearts of millions of admirers through her timeless melodies,” he said in another tweet. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday condoled legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar’s demise saying that her golden voice is immortal and will continue to echo in the hearts of her fans. “Received the sad news of Lata Mangeshkar ji’s demise. She remained the most beloved voice of India for many decades. Her golden voice is immortal and will continue to echo in the hearts of her fans. My condolences to her family, friends and fans,” the Congress leader said in a tweet. Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also expressed and said the singing icon’s death has caused an irreparable loss to the Indian art world. “Received the sad news of the passing away of Lata Mangeshkar ji, the melody queen who had chosen to decorate the notes in the garden of Indian music. Her death has caused an irreparable loss to the Indian art world. May God give place to Lata ji at the feet and give courage to the family members to bear the pain in this hour of grief,” she tweeted. Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh while condoling Lata Mangeshkar’s death wrote, the country has lost its voice on her death. “The voice of India has been lost with the death of ‘Swar Kokila’ Lata Mangeshkar. The songs sung by her have been heard and sung in India over generations. Her passing away is a great loss to the world of art and culture. My condolences to his family and fans,” he tweeted. Union Minister for Home Affairs Amit Shah on Sunday paid rich tributes to ‘Bharat Ratna’ Lata Mangeshkar, who passed away after a brief illness. Shah recalled that he had received ‘Lata Didi’s’ affection and blessings. Condoling the death of Mangeshkar, Shah on Twitter wrote, “I consider myself fortunate to have received Lata Didi’s affection and blessings from time to time. With her incomparable patriotism, sweet speech, and gentleness, she will always be among us. I express my condolences to her family and the countless fans. Shanti Shanti.” Union Minister V. Muraleedharan sympathizing with the singer’s fans on her death tweeted, “End of an era. The demise of legendary singer #LataMangeshkar – leaves an irreplaceable void. The nation has lost one of the greatest and most respected playback singers. Her soulful songs will continue to resonate in our hearts & minds forever. May her soul rest in peace.” Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Sunday expressed grief over the passing away of legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar. “With the death of Lata Mangeshkar, the subcontinent has lost one of the truly great singers the world has known. Listening to her songs has given so much pleasure to so many people all over the world,” Imran Khan tweeted. Pakistan Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry expressed his condolences over the demise of legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar on Sunday and said she ruled the world of music. Taking to Twitter he said, “A legend is no more, #LataMangeshkar was a melodious queen who ruled the world of music for decades she was the uncrowned queen of music her voice shall keep ruling the Hearts of people for all times to come.” F o r m e r Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai expressed his condolences over the demise of singing legend Lata Mangeshkar on Sunday and said her melodies are universal and forever. Taking to Twitter, Karzai said, “With her voice #LataMangeshkar filled millions of hearts with joy. Her melodies are universal and forever. My profound condolence to her family and the people of #India. May the nightingale of #India Rest In Peace.” Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla expressed his condolence on the death of legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar on Sunday. “I express deep grief on the demise of ‘Swarkokila’ Bharat Ratna Lata Mangeshkar Ji. Her songs connected people all over the world with India, breaking the barriers of language,” he said. He further added, her demise is an irreparable loss for the whole nation. From thePoet’sPen INDIA THIS WEEK A Life-Lesson Phone: 301-917-4800; 301-445-0200 301-445-3543; 301-685-1800 www.indiathisweek.online INDIA THIS WEEK- DECEMBER 10, 2021 INDIA THIS WEEK- February 11, 2022 By James whitcomb Riley There! Little giril, don’t cry! They have broken your doll, I know; And your play-house too, Are things of the long ago; But childish troubles will soon pass by._ There! little girl, don’t cry! Thre! little girl, dont’t cry! They have broken your slate, I know; And the glad, wild ways Of your school-girl days Are things of the long ago; But life and love will soon come by._ There! little girl, don’t cry! There! little girl, don’t cry! They have broken your heart, I know; And the rainbow gleams Of your youthful dreams Are things of the long ago; Threre! little girl, don’t cry! Address: P.O. Box 352Bryans Road, MD 20616 India This Week is published every Friday by ADV Solutions Inc, Views expressed in this paper are solely those of the individual writers and not necessarily of India This Week. India This Week accepts no liability for the errors in advertisements or in any of its reports. For remedial actions any errors should be brought to the attention of the editor either by mail to the above address or by e-mail provided below. Publisher: Chief Editor: Contributing Editors: Dr. Babu Stephen Rajan George Saju Mathew Isaac George Asst. Editors: Manu Jacob Sherena Panjikkaran Business Coordinators Rajan C. George Jithu Johny Panjikkaran Dr. Renuka Misra, Elisha Bob Special Correspondent: Geeta Goindi Community Coordinator: Prof. Vinod Goel Manish Krishna India Office Anadi Naik Columnists: World Religions Dr. Sam Prasad Jillella Photo Journalist: Mathew Karmel, System Admn. & Maintenance: Rajan C. 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February 11, 2022 Friday INDIA THIS WEEK National nightingale Lata Mangeshkar leaves behind rich musical legacy New Delhi [India], February 6 (ANI): Lata Mangeshkar passed away on Sunday morning at Mumbai’s Breach Candy Hospital. The 92-year-old singer had been hospitalized on January 8 after being diagnosed with pneumonia and COVID-19. The legendary singer had been recovering, however, yesterday her condition had deteriorated again and she had to be put on ventilator support. She was under medical observation. Lata Mangeshkar, the evergreen musical empress of Bollywood, was a name that was synonymous with music in India. The Queen of Melody, who moved the entire nation with her deep influencing voice, was as melodious as a nightingale. With a career span of almost eight decades, she was the recipient of awards like Bharat Ratna and Dada Saheb Phalke for her contribution to the Indian music industry. She represented an entire era, a movement and a lasting phase in the Indian music space. Her voice was so powerful that it transcended all barriers of language, caste, creed, culture, region and religion. Lata, the eldest of five siblings was born on September 28, 1929, to a Marathi speaking family in Indore, which was earlier a part of Central India Agency, but now in Madhya Pradesh. Her father Pandit Deenanath Mangeshkar was a classical singer and a noted theatre artist. Her mother Shevanti was a Gujarati woman from Thalner, Bombay Presidency, now in northwest Maharashtra. She was Deenanath’s second wife, after his first wife Narmada, who was Shevanti’s elder sister, died. The first fruits of classical music were tasted by Lata at the tender age of five, under the auspicious training of her own father. He was a disciple of the Gwalior Gharana, which is a community of performers who share a distinctive musical style. She was also tutored by musical maestros like Aman Ali Khan Sahib and Amanat Ali Khan. The mantle of responsibilities fell on Lata’s shoulders at the age of 13 with the demise of her father, due to heart disease. It was at that age that she recorded her first song, ‘Naachu Yaa Gade, Khelu Saari Mani Haus Bhaari’, composed by Sadashivrao Nevrekar for Vasant Joglekar’s Marathi film ‘Kiti Hasaal’, though the song did not make the final edit. Navyug was a close friend of the Mangeshkar family. During her teenage years, she struggled to support her family and in establishing herself as a playback singer in the Bollywood of the 1940s, a time when the profession was dominated by divas such as Shamshad Begum and Noor Jehan. Her first Hindi song was ‘Mata Ek Sapoot Ki Duniya Badal De Tu’ for the Marathi film ‘Gajaabhaau’ in the year 1943. Lata’s first major break was with the song ‘Dil Mera Toda, Mujhe Kahin Ka Na Chhora’, penned by Nazim Panipat for the movie ‘Majboor’ in 1948. The song became her first big breakthrough film hit and after that, she recorded ‘Uthaye ja unke sitam’ for ‘Andaz’ in 1949, which sealed her destiny forever. From that point on she did playback singing for every major leading lady, representing each generation of Bollywood from Nargis and Waheeda Rehman to Madhuri Dixit and Preity Zinta, till even. Music composers such as Naushad Ali, Madan Mohan, and S.D. Burman used to make tunes specifically to exploit the potential of her wideranging soprano. Her accuracy of whether holding a note or negotiating difficult passages that demand the agility of an acrobatic voice remained unmatched and exemplary throughout her career. Even the most celebrated singers are sometimes prone to slipping up, or hitting a slightly inaccurate note, but not Lata. Lyrics of Bollywood songs back then were mostly composed by Urdu poets and hence contained a large proportion of words that were Urdu, including the dialogue. Once superstar Dilip Kumar made a mildly disapproving remark about Lata’s Maharashtrian accent while singing Hindi or Urdu songs. For a period of time after that, she took lessons in Urdu from a teacher named Shafi to improve upon her accent. During the 1950s, Lata sang songs composed by various music composers of that time, such as Anil Biswas, Shankar Jaikishan, Naushad Ali, S. D. Burman, Amarnath, Husanlal, and Bhagatram, among several others. She made her Tamil playback singing debut in 1956 with the song ‘Enthan Kannalan’. Composer S. D. Burman chose Lata as the leading female singer for his musical scores in films like ‘Sazaa’, ‘House No. 44’, ‘Devdas’. However, later on, a disagreement developed between Lata and Burman in 1957, after which she did not sing his compositions again until 1962. In 1959, she won her first Filmfare Award in the Best Female Playback Singer category for Salil Chowdhury’s composition ‘Aaja Re Pardesi’ from the film ‘Madhumati’. Lata sang songs like ‘Pyar Kiya To Darna Kya’ for ‘Mughal-e-Azam’ and the Hawaiian-themed number ‘Ajeeb Dastaan Hai Yeh’, for ‘Dil Apna Aur Preet Parai’, which still remain one of the most famous songs to date. The year 1962 presented Lata with her second Filmfare Award for the song ‘Kahin Deep Jale Kahin Dil’, composed by Hemant Kumar for the movie ‘Bees Saal Baad’. The same year she was given slow poison by someone, and for three whole days, she was on the verge of her death. It was only after the 10th day that she started to recover, but was still completely bedridden for nearly 3 months. Surprisingly, during that time her home cook suddenly vanished without even taking his wages. Lata’s most notable concert performance was her wartime rendition of the poet Pradeep’s patriotic song ‘Ae mere watan ke logo’. On 27 January 1963, against the backdrop of the Sino-Indian War, she sang the song in the presence of then Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, who is said to have moved to tears by her soulful performance. The 1960s also witnessed the beginning of Lata’s association with the legendary musical duo Laxmikant-Pyarelal, for whom she sang the most popular songs of her career. Starting 1963 their association grew stronger over the years and Lata went on to sing over 700 songs for the composers over a period of 35 years, most of which became huge hits. She made her Kannada debut in the year 1967 with the film ‘Kranthiveera Sangolli Rayanna’ by recording two songs for music director Lakshman Berlekar. For a brief period during the 1960s, Lata was not on good terms with Mohammed Rafi over the issue of royalty payments to singers. She wanted him to back her in demanding half a share from the five percent song royalty that the film producers conceded to select composers. But, Rafi on the other hand was of the viewpoint that a playback singer’s claim on the filmmaker ended with the payment of the agreed fee for the song. This led to tensions between them, but this disagreement was later negotiated by music director Jaikishan. In the year 1970, she won yet another Filmfare award for her playback singing in ‘Jeene Ki Raah’ for the song ‘Aap Mujhe Achhe Lagne Lage’. In 1973, she was presented with her first National Film Award for the song ‘Beeti Na Bitai’, composed by R. D. Burman, and written by Gulzar. Again, in the year 1975, she won the National Award for the song ‘Roothe Roothe Piya’ from the film ‘Kora Kagaz’, composed by Kalyanji Anandji. During this time, she performed many concerts across India and abroad, and also became the first Indian to perform at the Royal Albert Hall. In 1978 Lata sang the main theme song ‘Satyam Shivam Sundaram’ for the Raj Kapoor directorial of the same name. The story of the film was inspired by Lata herself, as was later revealed by Kapoor’s daughter Ritu Nanda in her latest book. She also sang many songs in the Assamese language and developed a very good relationship with the Assamese musician Bhupen Hazarika. In June 1985, Lata was invited by the United Way of Greater Toronto to perform at Maple Leaf Gardens. At the request of Anne Murray, she sang her song ‘You Needed Me’ for the 12,000 attendees of the concert, which raised USD 150,000 for the charity. L a x m i k a n tPyarelal in the 1980s, had Lata sing some of their biggest hits like ‘Sheesha Ho Ya Dil Ho’, ‘Tu Kitne Baras Ka’, ‘Kitna Aasan Hai’, ‘Hum Ko Bhi Gham’, among many others. In the late 1980s, Lata made a comeback to Tamil films with two back-to-back renditions of composer Ilaiyaraaja’s songs ‘Aaraaro Aaraaro’ and ‘Valai Osai’, for the films ‘Anand’ in 1987 and ‘Sathya’ in 1988, respectively. She launched her own production house in the year 1990, which produced the Gulzar-directorial movie ‘Lekin’, which won Lata her third National Film Award for her rendition of the song ‘Yaara Sili Sili’, composed by her brother Hridaynath. In 1999, a perfume brand Lata Eau de Parfum was launched, which was named after her. The same year she was nominated as a member of Rajya Sabha, though she did not attend any of its sessions, which invited criticism from several members of the House, including the Deputy Chairperson Najma Heptullah, Pranab Mukherjee and Shabana Azmi. Lata stated her ill health as the reason for her absence. She reportedly didn’t take any salary, allowance or house in Delhi for being a Member of Parliament. She was awarded the Padma Vibhushan in 1999, one of India’s highest civilian honors. Just two years after that in the year 2001, she became the second film celebrity, after Satyajit Ray to receive the Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian award conferred by the government for the highest order of performance in any field. In the same year, she established the Master Deenanath Mangeshkar Hospital in Pune, which was managed by the Lata Mangeshkar Medical Foundation, founded in October 1989. Her 1987 song ‘Wada Na Tod’ from the film ‘Dil Tujhko Diya’ was included in the 2004 Hollywood film ‘Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind’. Lata even designed a jewelry collection in 2005 called Swaranjali, which was crafted by Adora. Five pieces from that collection were able to raise GBP 105,000 at a Christie’s auction, a part of this money was donated towards the 2005 Kashmir earthquake relief. Despite being such a great name, Lata remained the same simple person at heart throughout her life. The white silk saree with a traditional red border and plait became a trademark symbol of the singer. Her humility and shy persona too remained unchanged and not only did her voice moved millions within the country but also spread the magic of Indian music all over the globe.
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