Nagpur: Veteran singer Asha Bhosle passed away on Sunday, drawing an outpouring of grief from political leaders across Maharashtra. Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, who announced that the final rites would be conducted with full state honours in consultation with the family, said the day was one of profound sorrow for music itself.Speaking with the media in Nagpur, Fadnavis said, “This is an extremely tragic moment that another star from the Mangeshkar family, Asha Bhosle, has passed away. For most of her life — from the age of five or six — she served music till her last breath. If one had to name the most versatile singer in this country, it would undoubtedly be Ashatai.” He said her range was unmatched. “She rendered classical songs with depth and also sang very modern compositions with equal ease. Whether it was classical music, pop, rock, or bhavgeet, she sang in more than 30 languages. A rare example in the world, she performed a three-hour concert at the age of 90,” he said.Recalling a personal memory, Fadnavis said Bhosle once made him hum a couple of lines at a radio jockeys’ programme. “She then said, ‘See, I have the power to make even the chief minister of Maharashtra sing’. That was her lively personality,” he said. Fadnavis said the state conferred Maharashtra Bhushan on Bhosle and that her account of the struggles she endured left a lasting impression. “We were certain that while we could not celebrate the centenary of Lata Mangeshkar, we would definitely celebrate Ashatai’s 100th year. Unfortunately, time did not give us that opportunity,” he said.
