Bhopal: Lata revered Savarkar, Shivaji, Gita, says radio anchor Harish Bhimani

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Lata Mangeshkar held Hindutva ideologue VD Savarkar in high esteem and but for Savarkar, India would have been deprived of her golden voice, says a radio anchor Harish Bhimani.

Bhimani was speaking in a ‘Master Class’ on 'Yadein: Lata Mangeshkar’ on Saturday- the second day of the ongoing Chitra Bharti Film Festival. The event was held on the new premises of Makhanlal Chaturvedi National Journalism University at Bishankhedi in the city.

Bhimani claimed that Lata had told Savarkar that she wanted to quit singing and devote herself in the service of the nation. However, Savarkar convinced her that what she was doing was also in service to the nation. “If Savarkar didn’t have such a great influence on Lata, today, we would have been deprived of her mellifluous voice,” he said.

Bhimani said that Lata had great reverence for Chhatrapati Shivaji and considered himself Meera, devoted to the worship of Krishna. Shrimad Bhagwat Gita was her favourite book.

He said that Lata did not want to be reborn as another Lata. She wanted to live like an ordinary person. “We only see the outward glamour of the celebrities. We don’t and can’t see the problems they face,” he said.

Bhimani said that Lata was economical with her words but “when she talked, she talked sense and she talked truth”. Lata’s favourite songs were played on the occasion.