Lata Mangeshkar’s love for cricket: The Nightingale of India, Lata Mangeshkar left an irreplaceable void in the Indian music industry when she departed for heavenly abode on 6th February 2021.
Known as the ‘Queen of Melody’ for her timeless songs and music compositions, Bharat Ratna Mangeshkar was also a big fan of cricket. Let us reminisce one particular incident from the past which is still fresh in the memories of every Indian cricket loyalist, since it speaks volumes about her selflessness and love for the game.
Lata Mangeshkar’s love for cricket: Remembering how the Queen of Melody helped Indian Cricket Team raise funds
Back in 1983, India surprised the world by winning the Prudential World Cup. The men in blue were considered as underdogs in that era, and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) was not as financially sound as it is now.
In fact, there was a shortage of funds and to give the World Cup-winning team a grand welcome, the board was determined to raise money. The then BCCI President, NKP Salve approached Mangeshkar for a concert, to which she agreed.
While this seems to be a routine affair, what the Queen of Melody did afterwards highlights her greatness as a human being, not just as a musician. She did not charge a single penny for the concert that raised INR 20 lakhs – an enormously big sum back then.
Besides that, she also gave INR 1 lakh to every player of Kapil Dev’s team for their excellent performance in the World Cup. Remembering about that incident, the former Indian captain said in a ceremony:
“The BCCI was not very rich when we won the World Cup. I got a call saying Lataji will gather the entire team together and sing for us and also help us with cash rewards. She gave each one of us a cheque of 1 lakh – that was the first time I saw such a big amount.”
The singer also reminisced the incident by saying “After we (Indian cricket team) won the final at Lords, the BCCI president Mr Salve came to meet me said our players should get a grand welcome. I agreed and he said you have to do a show if we are to do this. This is the reason why I am doing this show,” as per quotes in The Bridge.
Lata Mangeshkar’s love for cricket: Remembering how the Queen of Melody helped Indian Cricket Team raise funds
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