Exclusive! RIP Lata Mangeshkar: RP Patnaik, Dhanunjay, Manasa Acharya and others mourn the demise of legendary signer

Bharat Ratna Lata Mangeshkar passed away after a 28-day-long battle with Covid-19, pneumonia and related issues in Mumbai at 8:12 am on Sunday morning, leaving behind a legacy that will be hard to match.
India's Melody Queen, who was a producer as well, and had the distinction of being conferred with the highest civilian honours of India and France, passed away on Sunday morning at a hospital in Mumbai, where she had been admitted because of Covid-related complications on January 11.
In the wake of the tragedy, musicians and singers from the Tollywood music fraternity offered their condolences and remembered the one-of-a-kind singer. Scroll down to see their exclusive tributes.
Condoling the death of the celebrated playback singer, music director RP Patnaik said, ''It’s a great loss to us all really. She made a substantial contribution to the music industry. She left us a legacy is something which she deposits into the music that will outlast us for generations to come.''
Singer Dhanunjay is deeply saddened by the news of Lata Mangeshkar’s death. ''During the pandemic, we have lost so many legends like SP Balasubrahmanyam garu, Sirivennela Sitaramasastri garu and Lata Mangeshkar garu. She has sung all types of genres. Her popularity of songs has gone to new heights and everyone loves her voice. She is a huge loss to music,'' Dhanunjay said.

Singer Manasa Acharya said, ''I used to singe her songs since my childhood. Once, my father gifted me an audio cassette tape that consists of 100 solo songs of Lata Mangeshkar garu. I started learning her songs since then. She is like an encyclopaedia, and we can learn many things from her. Be it an expression or gamakas or voice modulation, she succeeded to carry out all of them. I personally like her versatility. Be it a melody or fast beat or club song or sad song, she gives her 100 per cent. I got inspired by her in many ways. I have seen she encouraged a lot of budding singers in television shows. She has sung more than 30,000 songs across 36 languages, and it’s not possible for the singers in this generation. Everything is there in her songs. She sings like a tanpura. There is no apashruti in her voice. I am her devotee, and I really very feel bad about her sudden demise. It’s a huge loss for the music fraternity.''

Music director PVR Raja offered his condolences. ''The sudden demise of Bharat Ratna awardee Lata Mangeshkar garu is something that cannot be digested. She is the rarest singer in the history of world music. Such people are born only once in a lifetime. Even though she passes away, she will always live on, and her voice will always be with us,'' Raja said.

One of India's most loved voices, Lata Mangeshkar was the recipient of three National Film Awards, seven Filmfare awards, and of course, the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 1989. She was conferred the Bharat Ratna in 2001, becoming the second singer after M.S. Subbulakshmi to be so honoured, and the French awarded her the Officer of the Legion of Honour.

Lata's mortal remains were taken home in Prabhukunj Building, near the hospital around 12.30 pm and kept there for a couple of hours for people to pay their last respects. She shall be accorded a state funeral in Mumbai on Sunday evening, officials said.