‘His Wife Was Found Begging at Railway Station’: Forgotten Composer Who Launched Lata Mangeshkar and Kishore Kumar Died Penniless

Did you know wife of composer Khemchand Prakash, who launched Lata Mangeshkar and Kishore Kumar, was found begging at a Mumbai railway station after his death?

Veteran lyricist and screenwriter Javed Akhtar has drawn attention to the glaring gaps in India’s copyright and royalty framework for creative professionals. Akhtar has consistently pushed for reforms that acknowledge the contributions of composers, writers, and singers. He cited the life of composer Khemchand Prakash to highlight the lack of financial security faced by the artistic community.

‘His wife was found begging at railway station’: Forgotten composer who launched Lata Mangeshkar and Kishore Kumar died penniless

The late composer Khemchand Prakash's tragic tale was cited by Javed Akhtar as he fought to get the Copyright Bill passed in Rajya Sabha.