Latadidi embodied the Shakti of patriotism and culture: Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi who was conferred the first Lata Deenanath Mangeshkar award at Shanmukhananda Hall in Sion on Sunday, dedicated the award to the country and its people saying “Latadidi belonged to the masses and so does this award."

Describing her as the personification of a spiritual and cultural "shakti (force)" that evoked patriotism, duty, valour as well as detachment in her countrymen, Modi said he considered himself fortunate to have received her love and affection.

"I don't have much knowledge about music, but from the point of view of cultural appreciation I can say that music is both devotion ("sadhana") and emotion ("bhavana")...it expresses the inexpressible. Recalling the range and diversity of her work, he said the legendary singer wove the country together through her rendition of bhajans by Mira, Gyaneshwar, and Narsinh Mehta. Her repertoire of songs in over 30 languages played a key role in national integration, he said.