Sachin most deserving person for Bharat Ratna: Asha Bhosle

Singing legend Asha Bhosle has endorsed master blaster Sachin Tendulkar for the Bharat Ratna, India`s highest civilian honour, while her sister Lata Mangeshkar is pithching for Bogllywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan.

In reply to a query as to who should be given Bharat Ratna - Amitabh or Sachin, she said: "I think Sachin Tendulkar is the most deserving person for it."


The 78-year-old singer, whose name has been recently included in the Guinness World Records for maximum studio recordings (singles), was briefing the media Tuesday at Noor-Us-Shaba Hotel here before her performance at the 56th Foundation Day function of the state.

Significantly, India`s Nightingale Lata Mangeshkar recently said in Mumbai that Amitabh Bachchan should be awarded theBharat Ratna.

She might have a different view on the subject, but when it comes to taking her sister`s legacy forward, Asha said: "I can`t say about myself, but no one can carry forward the legacy of Latadi (Mangeshkar), Kishore (Kumar) or Rafi saab (Mdohammad Rafi).

"We both have sung all kinds of songs and we have sang songs of all ranges. We sang on very high note and sometime on very low. We learnt classical also. At this age, we do four hours of practice everyday. Now about whom you can say did all this or can do it," she added.

Asha feels the quality of music has taken a drastic dip and this saddens her.

"Now, I do not do playback singing much, but go for concerts and foreign tours. There is neither much good music director nor lyricists left."

However, she is hopeful that the golden era of music will return, saying: "Everything has a circle and it will return after sometime."

During her media interaction, she not only answered questions but also sung few lines from her famous song "In aankhon ki masti ke diwane hazaron hain" from the all-time classic ‘Umrao Jaan.’

I joined Bollywood for money: Asha Bhosle

After a successful career spanning over six decades, veteran Bollywood playback singer Asha Bhosle has said that she would have preferred to be a classical vocalist but had to turn to the film industry because it offered more money.

"There was a time when I used to ask my guruji what should I sing to earn money and he told me to go for live music. I started singing that and I joined films for money as I had to raise my kids. It was very saddening to leave classical music behind," said Bhosle.

The singer, who was in the capital to inaugurate a three-day concert A Life in Melody: A 100-Minute Tribute to Vilayat Khan, organised by 100 Piper's Pure Music, also recalled her association with the Sitar legend.

"I remember him from the time when artists used to come and perform without money being the consideration. I have been listening to him from that time. What I sing today is a result of listening to him," Bhosle said.

"There are musicians who are prepare before they set out to perform while there are others who play with spontaneity. Ustad Vilayat Khan was someone who blended them both. I have never listened to anything like that ever again," added the singer, who also sang Ambar Ki Pak Surahi from 1976 film Kadambari, composed by the sitar legend, at the event.

The 76-year-old singer, whose album Precious Platinum was recently featured in the Top 100 Greatest World Music albums of all time by Amazon.com, feels that the music scenario has changed a lot from the time she started singing.

The singer who has sung over 12,000 songs said that despite leaving classical music she was lucky to work with several musical maestros in films.

"I am lucky that the film line gave me a chance to work with stalwarts like Ali Akbar Khan, Ustad Vilayat Khan, Pandit Ravi Shankar and the duo of Shiv-Hari (Pandit Shiv Kumar Sharma and Pandit Hari Prasad Chaurasia) when they started composing for films and I could not have asked for more," said the versatile singer.