Dubai: Chosen for India's second highest civilian honour, Bollywood singing legend Asha Bhosle today said the award had come late but she was happy that she had received it in her lifetime.

Bhosle, who celebrated her 74th birthday last year, said she is happy to receive the Padma Vibhushan "since I got it before dying. I got (the award) without having to receive (it) on a stretcher or bed."

"They announced the award so that I stop singing," the singer, who has done playback singing for over 900 movies in her career spanning over six decades, said jokingly during a music concert to mark the 60th anniversary of India's independence organised by the Indian consulate here.

The melody queen who claims to have sung nearly 12,000 songs in over 14 languages said she is living on "bonus time" and thanked the Indian government for bestowing the award on her. "It came late," she said, but added that she was happy nonetheless.

Source : PTI