Well-known composer Ilayaraja was on Thursday honoured with Padma Vibhushan, the second-highest civilian award of the Republic of India. With over thousand films across languages spanning over three decades to his credit, Ilayaraja told reporters soon after being conferred the award that the Prime Minister’s Narendra Modi government respects Tamil people.
“A joint Secretary level official from the Information and Broadcasting ministry had telephoned me to inform me about the honour. He asked if I’d like to accept the award and I said I will. I also told him I will participate in the function to receive the award. This honour to me means that Modi government respects Tamil Nadu and Tamil people a lot,” Ilayaraja told reporters in a brief interaction.
Wishes started pouring in from every nook and corner for Ilayaraja. Superstar Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan called and congratulated the 74-year-old legendary composer, who received the Padma Bhushan in 2010. Oscar-winning composer A.R Rahman congratulated Ilayaraja via a tweet. Having made his debut as a composer with 1976 Tamil film Annakkili, Ilayaraja is known for many hit albums which include 16 Vayadhinile, Nayakan, Sagara Sangamam, Mouna Ragam, Sindhu Bhairavi, Pudhu Pudhu Arthangal and Raaja Paarvai among others. Some of his best Hindi albums are Sadma, Paa and Cheeni Kum.
