When Lata Mangeshkar raised INR 20 lakh for team India

While the nation grieves over the passing away of legend Indian singer Lata Mangeshkar, it is also important to celebrate what she stood for and what she did for the nation. One such incident was when she helped BCCI raise 20 lakhs for the Indian team after they won the 1983 World Cup.

Her love for cricket goes long back and she always took time to appreciate Indian cricket. In the celebrations for the win in the 1983 World Cup, Lata performed a free show and helped the board raise 20 Lakhs for the team.

The board wanted to felicitate the Indian Cricket Team after the Kapil Dev-led team won their first-ever World Cup, but the budget was a big issue for them. Raj Singh Dungarpur, the cricket administrator, then approached Lata Mangeshkar for her help.

Former BCCI president NKP Salve, in Dungarpur's biography said, "Raj Singh came up with a brilliant idea of requesting Lata Mangeshkar to do a musical program in Delhi to raise money for the purpose, as the BCCI was not flush with funds in those days."

In one of her old radio interviews, Lata said, "I said I will definitely do it. I reached Delhi on 17th August and I did a special show. Suresh Wadekar and Nitin Mukesh, son of Mukesh Bhaiya also supported in this show. Rajiv Gandhi was also present in that show."

The show's highlight was when the cricketers joined in to sing the song Bharat Vishwa Vijet- A song composed by Pandit Hridyanath Mangeshkar, Lata's brother. The raised 20 lakhs were given to the players of the Indian Cricket Team. Lata Mangeshkar did not charge anything for the concert.

Lata Mangeskar passed away earlier today at the age of 92 after suffering from Covid-19 and pneumonia last month.