Lata Mangeshkar's free concert helped Karnataka college raise Rs 12 lakh

Not just singing, legendary Singer Lata Mangeshkar's contribution towards Karnataka is much more. When Bidar district's Aurad taluk college approached Lata Mangeshkar's permission to come for the college inauguration of poor students and also produce a concert to raise funds, the singer not just agreed but told she will not charge a single pie for her concert.  

A request by Karnataka's villagers from Aurad in Bidar for the inauguration of college and also a concert to raise funds for development, Lata Mangeshkar not just agreed but surprised the villagers and the college authorities as she not only readily agreed but also stressed that she will do it in 'Phokat' (free), said Vishwanath, president of Deenanath Mangeshkar Degree College.

On December 4, 1976, Lata Mangeshkar, her sister Usha Mangeshkar had visited and inaugurated the campus and later in 1981, she also held a concert. "We were surprised when she said she will do the concert for 'Phokat'. Her concert raised Rs 12 lakhs and we built a full-fledged campus with Rs 8 lakhs then and also cleared loans with the remaining Rs 4 lakhs. As a mark of respect, we named the institution after her father Master Deenanath Mangeshkar," said Vishwanath.

It is said that the singer, when had come for inauguration of the degree college, had also promised that she would have a concert for Sharadha Polytechnic in the college premises and as promised her concert was held on February 28, 1981, recalled Vishwanath.

Remembering her contribution, the college mourned and also paid a floral tribute to the legendary singer who passed away this morning. The singer has sung over 30,000 songs in a career spanning 8 decades.