Ninety-year-old playback legend Manna Dey is being honored with the Dadasaheb Phalke award, the highest honor in Indian cinema, his family told.

His family member says, "We got a call from the Information and Broadcasting Ministry on Tuesday to inform us about the award (for 2007). He is right now in New York for some cultural programe. He will return to Bangalore on Thursday. We are very happy for him."



Born as Prabodh Chandra Dey on May 1, 1919 to Purna Chandra and Mahamaya Dey, the singer was a name to reckon with in the Hindi film industry from the 1950s to the 1970s. He has recorded more than 3,500 songs over the course of his career.

He started his career in playback singing with the film Tamanna in 1943. The song was an instant hit and later he sang a solo, Upar Gagan Vishal, in the 1950 movie Mashal.

His all-time hits include Sur na saje kya gaun main, Na to karanwa ki talash hai na to humsafar ki talash hain, Puchho na kaise maine rain bitayee and Laga chunari main daag amongst others.

He also teamed up with Kishore Kumar for hit numbers like Yeh dosti hum nahin torenge (Sholay) and Ek chatur naar (Padosan).