Noted singer Lata Mangeshkar today received in absentia the first ‘Tana-Rir’ award, instituted by Gujarat Government in the memory of two great sisters hailing from Vadnagar in north Gujarat.

She expressed here inability to accept the sangeet sanman award in person due to unavoidable reasons. She wished the Tana-Riri Mahotsav being held at Vadnagar a great success.

In a recorded video message in Hindi, she greeted the people of Gujarat as ‘Brothers and Sisters of Gujarat’. She described Mr. Modi as a great leader and said she held him in the same esteem and respect as a sister has for her brother.

Paying her obeisance to the two great singers, she said, she had heard they hailed from Vadnagar, and has also heard that it was due to Mr. Modi’s initiative that the Tana-Riri festival is being held at Vadnagar. She has yet another regret that she could not render voice to a film once being made by Avinashbhai Vyas on the two sisters.

Referring to Gujarat’s craze for music, she said she knew many music-lovers and singers of Gujarat. She has heard many girls who learn singing from a very young age. Her word of advice to them is to must learn classical music besides the type of music that want to master which stand in good stead at times of test.