THANE: Veteran Marathi singer Leelatai Shelar passed away on Monday evening at her home in Thane city due to old age-related ailments, her family members said.
She was 94 and unmarried. Leelatai Shelar is survived by her brother and his family.
The nonagenarian singer's last rites took place late at night at the Jawahar Bagh crematorium in Thane city with local residents, music enthusiasts and disciples paying their last respects to her.
Fondly known as "Guru Leelatai Shelar", she dedicated her life to music and nurtured generations of singers in Thane. Her singing classes were regarded as a gateway for common citizens to learn the art with ease.
Leelatai Shelar began her musical studies under maestro Bhaskarrao Phatak and later trained for 22 years under Pandit Achyut Abhyankar, a senior disciple of Pandit Firoz Dastur of the Kirana Gharana.
She later honed her skills in Bhavgeet and Bhaktigeet under guru Ram Mete, and with his inspiration, in 1960 founded Kalayatan -- an institution that became Thane's second temple of art after Gadkari Rangayatan.
Apart from training, Leelatai Shelar actively performed in concerts. Recognizing her immense contribution to music and singing, the Thane Municipal Corporation honoured her with the Thane Gaurav Award.
She also has the distinction of being the first to sing lyricist P Savalaram's iconic song, "Ganga Jamuna Kachaan Vedhi Ka", later immortalized by legendary Lata Mangeshkar.