NEW DELHI: The Nightingale of India, the renowned Lata Mangeshkar, is to receive the French government’s Insignia of Officier de la Légion d’Honneur (Officer of the Legion of Honour).

The living legend will be decorated during an official ceremony hosted by French Ambassador Jérôme Bonnafont on 2 December on the occasion of the opening of the French Film Festival being held from 2nd to 6th December in Mumbai as part of the French cultural Festival “Bonjour India”.

“France has a tradition of supporting artists from all over the world. Bestowing the insignia of Officer of the Legion of Honour on Lata Mangeshkar is a recognition of her incomparable singing career,” Bonnafont said in a statement.

The “Légion d'Honneur” (Legion of Honour) is the highest distinction that can be conferred by the French Republic on a French citizen as well as on a foreigner. The Order of the Legion of Honour was instituted in 1802 by Napoléon Bonaparte.

Some famous personalities who have been awarded this honour include Steven Spielberg and Gérard Depardieu. In India, the late Satyajit Ray, Lata Mangeshkar, and Amitabh Bachchan are some of the famous Indian cinema personalities who have been bestowed this honour. Another Indian woman to be honoured by the French Government was senior film critic Aruna Vasudev when she was chosen to receive the Chevalier (Knight) of the Order of Arts and Letters in 2002.