Sachin most deserving person for Bharat Ratna: Asha Bhosle

Nov 1, 2011 IANS

Bhopal, Nov 1 (IANS) 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 IANS 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".