Asha Bhosle, who not only survived in the shadow of her sister (Lata Mangeshkar)’s greatness but stepped out of it with a genre-defying voice to create her own universe in Hindi playback singing, died yesterday in Mumbai, drawing widespread tributes. She was 92.

Famous for generations throughout India, Bhosle also gained global acclaim and collaborated with international artists including Britain’s Boy George, news agencies Reuters and PTI reported from Mumbai and New Delhi.

“Her extraordinary musical journey, spanning decades, enriched our cultural heritage and touched countless hearts across the world,” said Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who led the nation in paying tribute to the legend.

Over the course of her career, Bhosle was nominated for two Grammys and landed the Dadasaheb Phalke award, India’s top arts accolade, and also the Padma Vibhushan, the country’s second-highest ⁠civilian honour.

“Be it her soulful melodies or vibrant compositions, her voice carried timeless brilliance,” Modi said in a message on X of Bhosle, whose career spanned eight decades.

Bhosle, who was the younger sister of singer Lata Mangeshkar, had been moved to a private hospital in Mumbai on Saturday (April 11) evening because of a chest infection and exhaustion, her granddaughter Zanai Bhosle said earlier. Her son Anand Bhosle, confirming her death to ANI news agency, said Bhosle’s funeral will be held in Mumbai on Monday (April 13).

From Child Star to Most Recorded Artist: Bhosle began her career at the age of 10 singing in the Western Indian language of Marathi and went on to be recognised ‌as the ⁠most recorded artist by the Guinness World Records in 2011, with more than 11,000 songs.

“Asha ji, who touched millions of hearts with her voice, left an indelible mark not just in Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Tamil, Gujarati, and many other languages, but also in folk songs,” India’s Home Minister Amit Shah said.

“Her extraordinary ability to adapt to every genre of music won over every heart,” ⁠Shah said in a post on X.

Some of Bhosle’s most popular songs range from a Bollywood cabaret number titled ‘Piya Tu Ab Toh Aa Ja’, which translates roughly to ‘Come to me, my love’ to more soulful melodies like ‘In Ankhon Ki Masti’, meaning the mischief ⁠in my eyes. She partnered with Boy George in 1991 for a track titled ‘Bow Down Mister’.

Tributes to Bhosle flowed from across the arts world. “Her voice has been one of the pillars of Indian cinema and will continue to resonate world over ⁠for centuries to come,” Indian actor Shah Rukh Khan wrote on X. Her talent will outlive many, Khan added.

“She who lent so much vivacity and character to her songs has left us grieving,” said actor Hema Malini on X.

Born on September 8, 1935 in Sangli , she was initiated into music by her father Dinanath Mangeshkar just like her sister was. Music was perhaps in her destiny. Of the four sisters, Lata, Usha and Asha were playback singers while Meena is a music composer. As is their brother Hridaynath Mangeshkar.

The much awarded Asha, who was also a successful entrepreneur and ran the popular restaurant Asha in Dubai and the UK, won multiple awards, including the Dadasaheb Phalke, Padma Vibhushan, National Awards and other music honours.

Bhosle made her last public appearance at the wedding of Arjun Tendulkar, son of cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar, in Mumbai last month, where she was seen smiling and blessing the newlyweds. The ceremony, held on March 5, saw Bhosle dressed in a white saree with golden borders.

She posed for photographs at the venue’s entrance, complementing her look with minimal accessories and a flower clip, according to videos circulating online.

Diaspora groups and artists in the UK honoured her musical legacy. Describing her as a “sound of Bollywood”, the UK media highlighted the 92-year-old singer’s impact as a cultural icon over the course of a career spanning more than eight decades and made up of thousands of unforgettable tracks.

“Bhosle’s distinctive voice breathed life into countless film songs as actors lip-synced to her unforgettable tracks,” reads the BBC’s tribute to Bhosle.

Lata Dismissed Rivalry Rumours: Lata Mangeshkar called Asha unmatched and rejected rivalry narrative: She was the younger sister who stepped out of a long shadow to blaze her own trail, but for Lata Mangeshkar, Asha Bhosle was never a rival. She was family, a neighbour and a singer who couldn’t be matched.

In the book ‘Lata Mangeshkar…In Her Own Voice’, a series of conversations with filmmaker and author Nasreen Munni Kabir, the late singer spoke at length about her younger sister and also dismissed talk of rivalry between them.

“Asha is so versatile. She can sing all kinds of songs very well — sad songs, dance numbers and cabarets. I am not saying this because she is my sister, but it’s my duty to speak about her qualities. Looking at the variety of songs she can sing, no singer can match her,” Mangeshkar said in the book.

French Ambassador to India Thierry Mathou expressed grief and described her as a “global icon” who had also touched audiences in his country during a concert in 2014. Australian High Commissioner Philip Green said he was among the many foreigners who have cherished the music of the “evergreen” singer.

‘Absolute legend’, Says Cricketer Brett Lee: Former Australia pacer Brett Lee and Asha Bhosle formed an unlikely musical pairing in 2007 that produced the hit track ‘You’re the One for Me’. Yet, it is Lee’s memory of the icon, the world is mourning today, that remains more enduring than the song itself.

In his autobiography ‘My Life: Brett Lee’, Lee described Bhosle as “a lovely, gentle woman with a wonderful sense of humour”.

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai on Sunday said legendary singer Asha Bhosle’s melodious and distinctive voice enriched Indian music for decades and earned her a lasting place in the hearts of crores of people.

Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) president Raj Thackeray compared her to High Renaissance icon Michelangelo citing the passion, playfulness and even rebellion in their works. Bhosle’s songs embody an intense pull, playfulness, boldness, and the uninhibited, daring spirit that comes naturally with being human, Thackeray said in his tribute.

Filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma still remembers the day the singer walked in the studio to record for his Hindi debut ‘Rangeela’ with the “poise of a queen”. “She walked into the recording studio with the poise of a queen but approached the work with the wide-eyed, child-like curiosity of a newcomer. She was hungry to experiment with a new age music director like Rahman,” Varma told PTI in an interview.

For veteran lyricist Javed Akhtar, his actor wife Shabana Azmi, the COVID-19 lockdown is also tied with the many memories they shared with the singing legend, who loved being praised for her culinary skills more than her singing.

According to Akhtar, while Bhosle was a legendary singer, she took the most joy in compliments regarding her cooking. Telling her that her food was “kamal ke bane hai” (wonderfully cooked) made her happier than praising her singing, Akhtar revealed to PTI.

Bhosle was known to be a fantastic cook who frequently prepared meals for her friends. Akhtar particularly praised her homemade kebabs, noting that “you don’t get that taste anywhere else”, and mentioned enjoying her puran poli.