Veteran music director Usha Khanna to get 'Lata Mangeshkar

Veteran music director Usha Khanna has been conferred the Maharashtra government's "Lata Mangeshkar Award" for the year 2019-20, Cultural Affairs Minister Vinod Tawde announced here on Wednesday.

The award, instituted in 1993, has been given to senior musicians for their contribution to the industry.

The award, named after the legendary singer, consists of Rs 5,00,000 cash, a citation and a memento.

Khanna, 78, is one of the few women musicians in the Indian film industry who carved out a niche for herself in the otherwise male-dominated field.

She started her illustrious career with Bollywood film "Dil Deke Dekho" in 1959, whose music became instant hit.

Some of her famous songs are "Dil deke dekho" from the 1959 film, "Chhodo Kal Ki Baatein", "Hum tumse juda hoke, mar jayenge ro roke" "Jiske liye sabko chhoda" to name a few.

She also composed music for films like "Shabnam" (1964), "Badal" (1966), "Honeymoon" (1973), "Do Khiladi" (1976), "Saajan Bina Suhagan" (1978), "Bin Phere Hum Tere", "Dada" (1979), "Gopichand Jasoos" (1982) etc.

Her last movie as a music composer was "Dil Pardesi Ho Gaya", released in 2003.

She also composed music for some Hindi television serials.