NEW DELHI: Legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar’s love for cricket is no secret and she had her own superstitions like any fan such as fasting for the Indian team’s victory during the high voltage World Cup semifinal clash against arch-rivals Pakistan in 2011.
Mangeshkar, 92, one of the biggest music icons of the country, died on Sunday at a Mumbai hospital due to multiple organ failure, according to her sister Usha Mangeshkar and doctors treating her.
She did not eat or drink during the nine-hour nail-biter at Mohali which India won by 29 runs to make it to the final.
“I had watched the whole match and I was very tense,” Mangeshkar had told PTI in an interview at that time.
“Everyone in my family follows some kind of superstition when India is playing. I, Meena and Usha did not eat or drink anything during the match. I was constantly praying for victory and we had our dinner after India won,” she had said.
An avid cricket fan, Mangeshkar had watched the 1983 World Cup final, which India won, from the gallery at the Lord’s.
Recalling the 1983 World Cup final, Mangeshkar had said that she was in London at that time for a concert and was desperate to watch the final after Kapil Dev’s boys had won the semifinal against England.
“I had invited Kapil Dev and his team for dinner before the match to my hotel. I wished them the best of luck and after that our team created history,” she had said.
“After winning the trophy, Kapil Dev invited me for a dinner with the Indian team in London. I went there and congratulated the players.”
Mangeshkar was fond of Sachin Tendulkar and treated him like her son. Tendulkar too used to call her aai (mother).
“Sachin treats me like his mother and I always pray for him like a mother. I can never forget the day when he called me ‘aai’ (mother) for the first time. I had never imagined that. It was a pleasant surprise for me and I feel blessed to have a son like him,” she had said.
According to Tendulkar, Mangeshkar’s songs are a stress buster for him.
“He (Tendulkar) is a perfectionist and very possessive about his work. I am also like that. He is very fond of music and I love cricket,” the melody queen had said.
“He is a real gentleman and god-fearing person. He never forgets to thank god and his father after any achievement which is simply adorable.”
Mangeshkar had tested positive for COVID-19 with mild symptoms and was on January 8 admitted to the Breach Candy Hospital’s Intensive Care Unit (ICU), where she was being treated by Dr. Pratit Samdani and his team of doctors.
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