the top from 1940 until 1963. From 1965, her songs started to be mimed by actresses other than the lead. Beginning in 1965, songs for her in films started getting reduced but the songs she sang instantly became hits through 1968. She then declared a self-imposed retirement in 1965. But she kept having certain composers asking her to sing songs in few films and among them her songs from films like in Daku Mangal Singh, Upkar, Kismat, Heer Ranjha, Johar Mehmood in Hong Kong, Teri Meri Ik Jindri and Main Papi Tum Bakhshanhaar. Her song "Kajra Mohabbat Wala" from the 1968 film Kismat and "Nathaniya Hale To Bada Maza" from the 1971 film Johar Mehmood in Hong Kong remains popular. Retirement and death From the late 1980s, Begum started giving occasional interviews. In one of her interviews with Filmfare magazine in 2012, Begum disclosed, "The more hits I gave, the less work I got. When I helped new composers I never told them to give me all their songs to sing. I believed only God could give, not them." Her final interview was in 2012. In 2009, she was conferred with the prestigious O. P. Nayyar Award for her contribution to Hindi film music. She was also conferred the Padma Bhushan in 2009. Later, her daughter Usha said in an interview, "Because of the politics in the industry, she didn't want to work any more. This is one of the reasons why she wouldn't let me be a singer. I told her, let me sing for my self-satisfaction, but she said if you learn to sing, you will directly enter the industry. So, she wouldn't let me do so." Begum died at her Mumbai residence on the night of 23 April 2013 after a prolonged illness. She was 94. She was cremated in a small, dignified ceremony. Information and Broadcasting minister, Manish Tewari said, "The film industry has lost one of its most versatile singers. Shamshadji's style of singing set new benchmarks. Her melodious voice with powerful lyrics gave us songs that have remained popular even today." Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said, "She was an artist of extraordinary talent and abilities, and the songs she has left behind in her long career, which she started with AIR in 1937, will continue to enthral music lovers." Her daughter Usha Ratra said, "She kept herself away from glamour of the industry despite