‘Queen of versatility’, ‘unique voice’, ‘epitom of melody’. When the world started describing me with such enthusiasm, I was thrilled.

I never looked for them, but worked hard to make myself worthy of them. My aspirations were simple, conservative if you like – to have a warm, loving home, to be a caring mother and, above all, to cook delicious food and feed family and friends to their heart’s desire (she was known for her expertise in Maharashtrian, Goan and northwest Indian cuisine), Asha Bhosle said laughingly when I interviewed her as she turned 80. In 2020, when I spoke to her ahead of the launch of her YouTube series that was designed to take enthusiastic listeners on a nostalgic musical journey, she quipped, “What does this girl from small town Sangli think success and fame mean? (How does this girl from small town Sangli know the meaning of success and fame?) I may sound like a clichéd record, but perhaps, I am more than just being a housewife.

I would have been happy. I was not prepared to face the difficult circumstances of working life.