BHUBANESWAR: Odisha paid rich tributes to Bharat Ratna Lata Mangeshkar who passed away on Sunday. National flags in the State were put at half-mast as a mark of respect to the legendary singer who had also sung in Odia.
Expressing deep grief over the demise of the legend, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said the ‘melody queen of India’ has left a void in the collective consciousness of the people. “She will live through her melody for eternity. My thoughts and prayers are with the bereaved family and her countless fans,” he added.
Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said he was extremely sad at the passing away of the doyen of music. “Her voice cut across genres, regions and generations, and touched the lives of people across the globe,” he said.
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Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw who was in Odisha also paid tributes to the departed soul at a function in the State headquarters of BJP. Vaishnaw said her contribution to music cannot be described in words. State BJP president Sameer Mohanty and many senior leaders were present at the function.
National vice president of BJP Baijayant Panda said the voice that entranced billions is no more. “Lataji’s songs deeply touched our souls in love and sadness, fun and frolic, hopes and dreams. She ruled our consciousness for so many decades in a way that made her immortal for the ages. No one came close to her hold over us,” he added.
Expressing his deep sorrow, president of the Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) Niranjan Patnaik said Lata was a household name across India and her melodious voice enthralled music lovers for decades.