/> Though she has expressed displeasure about the plethora and quality of music contests on television, the Melody Queen Lata Mangeshkar has reluctantly agreed to be present at the grand finale of Voice Of India to be held on 24 November.

The show's producer-director Gajendra Singh couldn't contain his excitement.

"She has agreed to give the winner the trophy. It took a lot of persuasion, a lot of perserverance. But then it's worth it.

Because Lataji is no ordinary mortal. She's Mata Saraswati reincarnated. And to have the Goddess Of Melody grace our show is the best gift I've received in my fourteen years of service to the cause of music."

Interestingly Lataji's sister Asha Bhosle served as the judge on the rival music contest Zee's Sa Re Ga Ma Pa a few months ago.

"But Lataji coming on our show isn't something we planned after Ashaji came on the other show," protests Singh. "We've been trying to persuade her for years to come on our show. This time she has finally agreed."

This would be the Nightingale's first appearance on television, not counting the defunct music contest Meri Awaaz Suno on Star Plus seven years ago on which she was a co-producer.

Lataji met the Voice Of India finalists at her residence during the Ganesh Mahotsav.

"Her advice to the contestants was to not copy any of the established voices.

She has always said it's relatively easy to sing popular numbers, much harder to sing original numbers," says Gajendra Singh.