India, Jan. 25 -- She's been regaling listeners across the globe with her voice for decades now- therefore it doesn't come as a surprise when huge honours are conferred upon singer Alka Yagnik. It has been announced today that she has been awarded the Padma Bhushan honour by the Government of India.

Reacting exclusively to HT City, she expresses her joy, "I want to thank the government for giving me this prestigious honour. And of course I really, really want to thank all my listeners for their unconditional love."

Alka has been singing since she was four. She stepped into mainstream playback singing with the 1980 Hindi film Payal Ki Jhankaar. In the 46 years since then, she has crooned chartbusters such as Ek Do Teen, Agar Tum Saath Ho...