Lata Mangeshkar passed away on February 6, at 92. She was cremated with full state honours at Shivaji Park, Mumbai. Everyone from Sachin Tendulkar and his wife Anjali Tendulkar to Shah Rukh Khan, Shraddha Kapoor to Rahul Vaidya, attended Lata Mangeshkar’s funeral. Tributes are still pouring in at Aaj Tak’s special ode to the Nightingale of India – Shradhanjali Tum Mujhe Bhula Na Paoge event. Speaking at the event, Sunil Gavaskar recalled how back in 1982-83, at an event in Lahore, he told Pakistani singer Noor Jahan that he doesn’t know her, but only Lata Mangeshkar.

I ONLY KNOW LATA MANGESHKAR: SUNIL GAVASKAR

Sunil Gavaskar recalls an interesting incident in Lahore, Pakistan when he had visited the country for a Test match. “Many years ago, 82-83, on the third day of the Lahore Test, we were called for a thank-you party. I was at the door, welcoming the guests. When Noor Jahan came, I didn’t recognise her. Maharaj told her this is our captain, you must know him. She said, ‘no, I don’t know him, I only know Imraan Khan. It felt like salt on a wound because Imraan was hitting sixes in the match. Then he told me, you must know her, Noor Jahan ji. I also quipped, ‘No, I only know Lata Mangeshkar’.”

Sunil Gavaskar also recalled how when he first heard the song Ae Mere Watan Ke Logon, sung by Lata Mangeshkar, he was so moved that, at that moment, he decided he wanted to join the Indian Army. He was already a successful cricketer by then, but that’s the effect the song had on him.