Mukesh borrowed money from a vegetable vendor to pay kids’ school fees, reveals son Nitin Mukesh

Late singer Mukesh had to borrow money from a vegetable vendor once so he could pay the school fees of his son, Nitin Mukesh has now revealed.

Recalling the financial struggles that Mukesh faced even after hit songs such as Awara Hoon and Mera Joota Hai Japani, Nitin Mukesh said, “I have never heard of anyone’s struggle with so many ups and downs in life. He has gone days without drinking water and eating food, but the strange thing is that he became ‘The Mukesh Ji’ after singing famous songs like Awara Hoon and Mera Joota Hai Japani, and yet struggled for six to seven years after that.”

He added, “There was a time when he couldn’t afford to pay the school fees for me and my sister. I still remember that there was a vegetable vendor near our house who absolutely loved Mukesh Ji and was so fond of his voice that he offered to lend him some money. That’s how Mukesh Ji paid our school fees. Neither did he nor the vendor ever allow this information to reach us.”

The singer also said their mom would tell them. “Our mother used to tell us everything, saying that ‘see how papa is going through a tough time’. These are memories that I will never forget, and I pray that I can follow in his footsteps. He never gave up and always said that he will emerge as a winner, and he did,” he said.

Shankar Mahadevan also said, “These stories are surely going to inspire and motivate all the contestants to work hard towards their dreams.”

Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Li’l Champs airs on ZEE TV on weekend nights at 9.