PM Modi receives the first Lata Deenanath Mangeshkar Award

Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended the Master Deenanath Mangeshkar Awards Ceremony in Mumbai on Sunday. On this occasion, Prime Minister was conferred 1st Lata Deenanath Mangeshkar Award.

The award has been instituted in memory of Bharat Ratna Lata Mangeshkar which will be given every year exclusively to one individual for exemplary contribution towards nation building.

The Prime Minister started by saying that though he does not have too deep a knowledge of music but by cultural appreciation, it is felt that sangeet is both a ‘sadhna’ and an emotion.  He continued and said “the one that expresses the unexpressed is word. One that fills the expressed with energy and consciousness is ‘naad’. And the one that fills conscious with emotions and feelings and takes it to the extreme of creation and sensitivity is ‘sangeet’.

Prime Minister said that he is generally not very comfortable with receiving awards but when the Mangeshkar Family calls with an award that carries the name of an elder sister like Lata Didi, then it becomes a symbol of her affection and love. “It is not simply possible for me to say no to this. I dedicate this award to all the countrymen. As Lata Didi belonged to people, this award given to me in her name also belongs to people”, the Prime Minister said.