Born: 28th September, 1929, Place: Indore, Madhya Pradesh, India. Father: Pt. Dinanath Mangeshkar Mother: Shudhhamati Siblings: Meena, Asha, Usha, Hridaynath

Lataji's first recording was for the Marathi film Kiti Hasal in 1942 but her song never made it in the film. Her next effort was the song Natli Chaitrachi Navalai for the 1942 Marathi film Phili Mangalagaur. This would become Lataji's first playback song. Incidently, her first Hindi song Mata Ek Sapoot Ki Duniya Badal De Tu was for a " Marathi " film Gajabhau, released in 1943.
Her initial inning at acting and singing would bring her little or no recognition but she managed to put bread on the family's table. Dinanath Mangeshkar, her father, owned a theatrical company and was a reputed classical singer, a disciple of the Gwalior school. He gave her singing lessons from around the age of five. She also studied with Aman Ali Khan Sahib and later Amanat Khan. Her God-given musical gifts meant that she could master the vocal exercises effortlessly on first pass and from early on she was recognized as being highly gifted musically.

By 1947, as India looked forward to finding its own identity as an Independant nation, Lataji would gift India its voice. Her first Hindi song Pa Lagoon Kar Jori for a " Hindi " film was released. The film, Aap Ki Sewa Mein.

It was after India’s losses in the India-China war in 1962 that a young Lata had sung the song, “Aye Mere Watan Ke Logon, Zara Aankh Me Bhar Lo Pani”. The song, written by Kavi Pradeep, moved the then Indian Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, to tears and he confessed “Beti toone mujhe rula diya.”It is at this time when the Pakistani Prime Minister said that he would gladly exchange Lata for Kashmir" such is the aura of Lata Mangeshkar. Lata is a legend in her lifetime and undeniably the best singer India has ever produced. As renowned Classical singer Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan said for lata "Kambakht Galti Se Bhi Kabhi Besura Nahi Gati". Her contribution to making music popular throughout India and the world is incalculable and she has reigned supreme all through the last six decades. Music director Ghulam Haider introduced her Bombay Talkies which was to be her stepping stone to the big time. Over the years, she was won the hearts of millions of music lovers, and according to the Guiness Book of Records, she has rendered more songs than any artiste anywhere in the world, over 30,000 is the book's estimate.

Apart from her film songs, Lata Mangeshkar has personally adapted the works of leading Marathi poets and set them to music for private recordings. She has recorded devotional songs by Sant Tukara, and her recording of the Bhagwat in Sanskrit is recognised as her crowning achievement.

Her most famous non-film song is Aye Mere Waton Ke Logo tuned by C. Ramchandra and written by poet Pradeep, it was this song that had brought tears in the eyes of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru..

Her first Hindi song(but in a Marathi Film)1943 - Gajabhau (maata ek sapoot ki duniya badal de tu...)Vinayak Rao was happy with Lata's performance and signed her as a staff artiste on a monthly salary of Rs. 60. It was increased to Rs. 350 by the time Vinayak died in 1947.In 1945 the company shifted its headquarters to Bombay. Lata moved out into the big city.

It was then Lata met Amanat Ali Khan Bhindibazarwala, a classical scholar who accepted her as a disciple. In Badi Maa (1945),starring Noorjehan, Lata acted, sang for herself and for younger sister Asha. When Pakistan was created, Amanat Ali left India. Thereafter, she also became the pupil of Ustad Amanat Khan Devaswale. For some time Pandit Tulsidas Sharma, who was a pupil of Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali, also trained her.

  

Late Mangeshkar has never hesitated to help budding music directors by offering to render playbacks for them, and in the past five decades, there must be very few, indeed, who have not benefited from Lata's great talent. She has sung in virtually all Indian languages with equal success. She has also composed music for some films, with the adopted name of Anand Ghar. They were Ram Ram Pahune, Mohityanchi Manjula, Maratha Tituka Melwawa, Sadhi Manse and Tambadi Ati. She acted in Pahili Mangala Gaur, Majhe Baal, Gaja Bhau, Badi Maa, Jeevan Yara, Samudra Mandir. She produced Marathi and Hindi films like Wadal (Marathi), Kanchan (Hindi) and Lekin (Hindi).

Books On Lata Mangeshkar:

Phule Vechita by Lata Mangeshkar
The book is not an autobiography in the strictest sense of the term; it is a collection of articles penned by Lata since 1952. The editorial effort is by Madhuvanti Sapre and Dinkar Gangal.It is published in Marathi script.

One chapter : Suraatle naate - Naatyatle Sur (Relations in Melody - Melody in Relations) in which Lata talks about Asha, her younger sister has been translated by Dr. Veena Nayak.

In search of Lata Mangeshkar
by Harish Bhimani
 
"When I was barely eight, my father, who was also my guru, had told me, 'Fear only your own self. Ask yourself whether what you are doing is right and if the answer is yrs, then move ahead without a second thought'. I have followed his mantra to this day." - Lata Mangeshkar

Lata Mangeshkar : A biography  by Raju Bharatan
 
Lata's aura, her charisma and her persona make for a fascinating life story - a success story without parallel in the annals of popular music.

Lata Mangeshkar Gandhar Swaryatra (1945-1989) Edited by Vishwas Nerurkar

Gaaye Lata, Gaaye Lata by Dr. Mandar V. Bichhu