Like many households, everybody at my dwelling in Kerala was keen on Hindi songs. So, Lataji was a well-known voice for me from my childhood, even when I didn’t know who she was. We used to have a group of albums and data, together with Lataji’s well-known ones that had a few of her well-known recordings from London.
My first assembly with Lataji was in 1989, when she was felicitated on the Madras Telugu Academy after successful the Dadasaheb Phalke Award. I wasn’t invited, however I had a recording with SPB sir (SP Balasubrahmanyam) that day. He instructed me that he wished to complete early and depart for the occasion. I begged him to take me alongside and he agreed. After the occasion, he launched me to her. She mentioned, “I have heard you singing.” That was a trophy for me, essentially the most important recognition.
Later, there was a live performance in Mumbai to have a good time her seventy fifth birthday in 2004. On the day of the live performance, I used to be very tense however I managed to go to her and introduce myself. That day, I sang Rasik balma (Chori Chori, 1956), one in all her favourites, and Rulake gaya sapna (Jewel Thief, 1967).
On her eightieth birthday, I recorded an album titled Nightingale, and my husband despatched that to Lataji. After just a few days, she known as me. I used to be shocked to listen to her voice. She instructed me that she had heard all of the songs and he or she liked them.
After the demise of my daughter, I used to be closeted at dwelling. That is after I was chosen for an award within the title of Lataji in 2012. When the organisers known as me, I instructed them that I couldn’t attend the occasion. That similar night, Lataji known as me. She consoled me and insisted that I shouldn’t be withdrawing from the world. She instructed me that I needed to attend the occasion and obtain the award. I used to be promised that she would additionally come, however she didn’t make it as a result of private causes. That was my final name with Lataji.
(KS Chithra is a playback singer and Carnatic musician)
(As instructed to Arun Janardhanan)
