Lata’s ‘Ae mere watan ke logon’ moved Pandit Nehru to tears in 1963
Pandit Nehru said, ‘Lata, tumne aaj mujhe rula diya’ Pandit told to her. Lata Mangeshkar said that Nehru was very sad over the India-China war and he looked downcast.
‘Ae mere watan ke logon’ sung by legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar at Ramlila Maidan in New Delhi in January 27, 1963, to honour Indian soldiers who lost lives in the 1962 war with China has moved then Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru to tears.
Lata has recalled the incident on the 51st anniversary of her famous song ‘Ae mere watan ke logon’ at the Mahalaxmi Racecourse in 2014 with the presence of prime minister candidate Narendra Modi.
She said that I did not know, this song will become so popular, she said. The song was composed by Ramachandra and was written by Kavi Pradeep.
She has recalled the incident that, “ I have received a call from Kavi Pradeep, who said he has written a song and wanted her to give a voice to it.
“I told him that I have not prepared to sing that song in such a short time. But Kavi insisted me to sing the song. I went to Ramachandra for rehearsal, but he was in hurry to leave for Delhi to attend the program. I attend the rehearsal at once, but listen the recorded song”, Lata said.
Initially, she was nervous to sing before Pandit, thinking that she had committed some mistake. But after she met Pandit Nehru, she saw tears in his eyes. Pandit Nehru said, ‘Lata, tumne aaj mujhe rula diya’ Pandit told to her. Lata Mangeshkar said that Nehru was very sad over the India-China war and he looked downcast.
