India, Nov. 7 -- Music director Jatin Pandit is in the United States as he speaks to HT City about her. His elder sister, actor-singer Sulakshana Pandit died on Thursday following a heart attack at the age of 71.

"She was not a sister, she was a mother," he says, sounding emotional, "She helped me get educated, took care of the family, and brought us to another level. We were not rich, very middle class. Whatever she had, she gave to all us brothers and sisters."

He goes on to add, "This kind of an example of a person is rare. Of course there was Lata Mangeshkar ji, but she had sisters like Asha Bhosle ji who were equally (successful)."

Sulakshana was a known name in the 1970s and 80s, starring in films opposite the likes of Rajesh Kha...