Lata making public appearance for her father

Some works of art never get old. Lata Mangeshkar's voice is one of them. Almost fully recovered from her knee surgery, the 'Nightingale of India' Lata Mangeshkar, now almost 80, is all set to do what she has done with breathtaking finesse for 6 decades.

Lataji says she will be back to recording songs from next month. Though she's much too shy to reveal names of the composers who have been waiting patiently for her to recover fully, the indomitable Nightingale, now back to being sprightly and supple-throated says, "I was always choosy about what I sing. Now I've to be even more particular. The languages of the songs don't matter. They could be in Hindi, Bengali or Marathi. But I've to be convinced about singing them."

Before she pleases her legion of fans by returning to singing, Lataji will be participating in the most important annual event of her life. Her father Pandit Dinanath Mangeshkar's death anniversary on April 24.

Lataji would be making her first public appearance after her knee surgery for her father's sake.

"I recently got the Radio Mirchi lifetime achievement award. But I was unable to attend. They very kindly came home and gave it to me. But attending the function for my father is something I'd never like to miss."

Every year, a handful of distinguished artistes are honoured in Pune for their contribution to society. A novel addition to this years' Pandit Dinanath Mangeshkar award would be awards to cops who fought terrorists on 26/11.

What more befitting tribute to the nation's resilience and patriotism straight from the singer who has sung the country's most patriotic song ever “Ae Mere Watan Ke Logon"?