New Delhi/Mumbai, Nov. 13 (PTI): Singing legend Lata Mangeshkar will be honoured with the French award Knight of Legion d’Honneur (Legion of Honour) in Mumbai next month for her contribution to cinema.

French ambassador to India Dominique Girard will confer the honour on Mangeshkar in Mumbai in December, French embassy officials said in New Delhi.

“It is a huge honour for me that the French government is honouring me in this manner. I was told that it is equivalent to India’s Bharat Ratna,” Mangeshkar said.

“I have got so many awards and honours but each one is special to me, specially because great artists like Satyajit Ray have received this before,” she added.

Embassy officials said the award for Mangeshkar was announced two years ago but the conferment was delayed due to lack of suitable dates.

“Then they contacted me again some days ago, saying the ceremony would be held in mid-December,” she said.

The award, instituted by Napolean Bonaparte in 1802, is traditionally conferred only by a winner of the same honour. Girard is a receipient of the award.

Last month actor Amitabh Bachchan had been named as a winner of the award. Bachchan will receive the award in January next year at the French embassy here.

The Hindi version of Oscar-winning animation film — March of the Penguins — to which the superstar has lent his voice will be screened on the ocassion.

The late film maestro Satyajit Ray is the only receipient of the highest award in the Legion of Honour category.