My favourite memory has to be my first opportunity to sing four lines along with Lata ji for the Bengali film, Shriman Prithviraj [1973]. It happened in 1971. In those days, we used to record in a small cabin. I was in college at that point, and I clearly remember it was such a nerve-wracking experience to be sitting next to her. I felt overwhelmed to sing with her. But she was so affectionate and immediately made me feel comfortable.

[Lata Mangeshkar’s demise] is a huge loss because for me, she has been someone who represents [the voice of] India. Her voice is unmatched. I constantly tried to learn from her. I used to listen to her songs, and tried to understand her approach towards particular notes. She was like my guru. Fortunately, she was also fond of me.

She may have physically left us, but she will live in my heart till my last breath. The lessons and learnings I gained from her are immense. To me, she represents my country. We used to constantly stay in touch over the years. She would keep sending me several songs over WhatsApp. Their language did not matter — they were Hindi and Marathi songs — but they were all unusual in their own way. I treasure these songs and have kept them with me. Sometimes, she also used to send me some of her paintings. She was a true artiste, [who painted] well. She comes from an artistic family, and that clearly was reflected in her paintings.