Asha Bhosle pays a heartelt tribute to her Lata-didI. Here is a translation by Sushrut Vaidya.

"It has not even been a month since she passed away, and we are standing here (today). I am not going to say anything about her singing, for that is beyond (the need of) any commentary. There is no need to praise it, as it is beyond all praise. You have all given (her singing) a place in your hearts and that will (always) remain. It was a voice, a singing that was 'na bhooto na bhavishyatee'  (the like of which never was, nor will be).

She was extremely intelligent. So intelligent, that if she had received formal education, she would have gone places, may be, she would have been the Prime Minister today.

In this very city, Pune, in 1942, our father passed away. We were living in 'Rewadi-wala's lane'. Father vomited blood in the night and was taken to the hospital. Sassoon Hospital. It was still the British rule then. Father passed away at around 9 - 10 am in the morning.  Mai went there. We were all young. So young, that Bal doesn't even remember Baba, neither does Usha.

Mai took Didi, Meena-tai and me, to see him.  His body was literally wrapped in an ordinary gunny-cloth and brought (back) in a taxi.  I…we…did not know anything then. We went to see him. We did not understand anything. But Didi did. It was not our age (to understand). But hers was. She was twelve. She remembered it. She was working, as she saw appropriate. She faced a lot of hardship. (I know) because I used to accompany her to the recordings, rehearsals till I was fifteen. What all has she faced, how we used to get on the trains... but with a smile on the face.... endured all that hardship.  But she remembered the incident (of not getting proper medical treatment) of our father. And she, and Bal decided to build a hospital in this same Pune city. It was her resoluteness. She always remembered that my father was brought wrapped in a gunny cloth, there was no ambulance… nothing. That was so stuck in her mind that it was (her resolution that ) 'I will build a hospital so that no poor will go untreated, or his/her body would be sent like that.’ And therefore, she founded this hospital. She could have named it 'Lata Mangeshkar Hospital' but she named it 'Deenanath Mangeshkar Hospital'. 

She was always so proud of the name 'Mangeshkar'.  More so than 'Lata'.  How she used to speak on phone - "This is  (in a softer tone) Lata (with emphasis) *Mangeshkar*. The moment she said this, the person on the other end would stand up.

This hospital got the cooperation of good doctors, of all good people. I said to her once, as I was wont of saying, "In this hospital (the treatment) is free of charge for _us_, isn't it? " She said "No" (and continued) in a sharp voice, "Do you not have money?" I said, "I have".  She said, "Then give it to the hospital. With your money, the hospital could serve more poor people, more will get free treatment." Such was her compassion for the whole world.

She was very organized… particular. Her things (cupboard) were always meticulous, beautiful.  From childhood, she was in a habit, of clipping out from magazines the photos (of paintings) by Dalal, Mulgaonkar and of keeping them neatly.... the images of Gods and Goddesses.  All this was very meticulously kept - her jewelry... her clothes... she was such a well-organized girl. Very... beautiful... it all was.

In our childhood, when we were in Kolhapur, when she had to wear a sari... I mean (of course) she used to wear sari only.... she used to tell me, "Asha, wash and iron (the sari)". I was her (she used to fondly call me) _pahilwan_,  _pathan_!  "Pathan, my sari..."  I used to go wash the sari. And how I used to press it, I would fold it neatly, keep it under the mattress, and then sit on it! Ironing done! This is how I used to do her chores.

Because she ... so much... (showered affection) on me.  I was rather heavy ( _moti moti_) when I was born. I still am. But was even more then. A small girl. Four years younger to her. I was her doll! She used to feed me. She loved me so much! 

Never thought that so soon, I will have to speak in such a gathering. Never thought so, but  that time has come. We became orphans when our father passed away, but then our thirteen-year-old 'baba' stepped up and cared for us. Then we became orphan again when our mother passed away... mother was gone... now baba is gone again. For you Lata Mangeshkar is gone. But for us everything... everything is finished with her. There is no elder in our house to keep us in check now."