Lata lends voice to Vajpayee’s poems Wednesday, 31 March 2004 12:57

New Delhi: Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee’s official residence here was yesterday the setting for a unique blending of his poems and the mellifluous voice of Lata Mangeshkar. New Delhi: Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee’s official residence here was yesterday the setting for a unique blending of his poems and the mellifluous voice of Lata Mangeshkar.
Vice-President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat released Antar Naad, an album featuring seven of the prime minister’s poems sung by the nightingale of Indian music, and Vajpayee and Mangeshkar used the occasion to express their admiration for each other.
“When Lataji proposed to sing some of my poems, I felt my poetry had some significance,” said a smiling Vajpayee.
“My poems have their place but to hear Lataji singing them makes me proud,” added Vajpayee who took time off from his busy election campaign for the event.
Mangeshkar was equally ebullient in praising Vajpayee. “I have always been a big fan of Vajpayeeji. Whenever he is speaking, I stop whatever I am doing to watch him on TV,” gushed Mangeshkar.
“In fact, someone just pointed out to me that Atal, when spelt in English, can be read backwards as Lata,” she quipped. “His poems have touched me deeply and inspired me to set them to music,” said Mangeshkar, who recited a few lines from one of Vajpayee’s poems.

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