Rahul Dev Burman, known professionally as R.D. Burman, was an Indian music director and actor, who is considered to be one of the greatest and most successful music directors of the Hindi film music industry. From the 1960s to the 1990s, Burman composed musical scores for 331 films, bringing a new level of music ensemble with his compositions. Burman did his major work with legendary singers Lata Mangeshkar, Asha Bhosle, and Kishore Kumar. He also worked extensively with lyricist Gulzar, with whom he has some of the most memorable numbers in his career. Nicknamed Pancham, he was the only son of the composer Sachin Dev Burman.
Burman in 1981
Burman on a 2013 stamp of India
Lata Mangeshkar was an Indian playback singer and occasional music composer. She is considered to be one of the greatest and most influential singers of the Indian subcontinent. Her voice was one of the unifying elements of the people of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Nepal. Her contribution to the Indian music industry in a career spanning eight decades gained her honorific titles such as the "Queen of Melody", "Nightingale of India", and "Voice of the Millennium".
Mangeshkar in 2008
Childhood photo of Lata Mangeshkar
Mangeshkar in the 1960s
Prime Minister Narendra Modi meets Mangeshkar family and Asha Bhosle after paying tribute to Lata Mangeshkar in Mumbai.