Mumbai : Legendary cricketer and Bharat Ratna Sachin Tendulkar was today felicitated on the 85th birthday of another Bharat Ratna Lata Mangeshkar. On the occasion, he said, “It’s my honour and pleasure to be felicitated on the birthday of my beloved and favorite Lata Didi, who is like a mother to me. When I was a child, my mother used to put me to sleep by singing Didi’s songs as 
lullaby. Throughout my career, Didi’s songs have been an integral part of my being, whether I used to hear them in a cassette recorder, a CD player or an iPod, though the gazettes keep changing by the time but the singer remained the same- Lata Mangeshkar.” He further said, “Didi’s songs always have been a great motivation and moral support for me, whether I in a dull mood in an elated one or just otherwise.” He then joked, “while listening to Didi’s songs, everybody gets so mesmerized and carried away in the process that they also start singing but only to realize when the recorder is off that how poorly one sings and I am no exception to this illusion and shows her class and the fact that we are only good as bathroom singer.”
The grand occasion was 85th grand public felicitation of Bharat Ratna Lata Mangeshkar through hands of another Bharat Ratna Sachin Tendulkar which unfortunately she herself could not attend due to her sudden ill health. But she through a live telephonic message, addressed everybody in the auditorium saying, “I was very keen to attend my 85h birthday felicitation, which unfortunately I am not able to attend due to my sudden ill health. I very much wanted to come as my favorite cricketer Sachin had come to felicitate me but could not make it for which I deeply regret.”
To commemorate this grand occasion, renowned Kathak exponent Shama Bhate performed a specially choreographed “Meera Ballet” with her Nad Rup Dance Group. The performance was a Broadway musical rendition inspired by Lataji’s famous spiritual album ‘Meera Bhajans’ which was released in 1985 and was a huge success. The ballet was beautifully performed by a group of 30 
dancers who adorned in traditional Rajasthai ensemble brought live the ancient magnificence and grandeur. Pandit Hridaynath Mangeshkar and his son Adinath Mangweshkar’s music organizations –‘Hridayesh Arts’ and ‘Swarbharti’ collaborated to present this Broadway musical ballet. While dedicating it to the public, Pandit Hridaynath Mangeshkar said, “ It’s my pleasure that one of my best spiritual composition ‘Meera Bhajans’ sung by Lata Didi has come to realization through this beautiful ballet which is its first performance and will have many more to follow.” He then fondly remembered, “ LataDidi was very sick during the recording of this album and was advised by the doctor to go for an urgent surgery but she insisted that she will not leave the studio until the recording of this album is over. After finishing the recording, she was rushed to the hospital where she remained admitted for 15 days.”
The grand birthday felicitation event was attended by eminent music stalwarts and dignitaries namely, Usha Mangeshkar, Mr. and Mrs. Pankaj Udhaas, Mr. Kiran Shantaram, Mrs. Anjali Tendulkar, Municipal Commissioner Mr. Asim Gupta and many more.
Source : Lokesh Shastri