Overview

• The state-led felicitation was held on September 13 at the Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium in Chennai to celebrate Ilaiyaraaja’s five decades in film music.
• Chief Minister M. K. Stalin publicly asked the Central government to confer the Bharat Ratna on the composer, calling for the country’s highest civilian honour.
• Stalin announced the Isaignani Ilaiyaraja Award to recognise young musicians who reach notable milestones in the field of music.
• The London Philharmonic Orchestra performed Ilaiyaraaja’s Valiant Symphony I along with orchestral renditions of his popular film compositions before a packed audience.
• Ilaiyaraaja performed the song ‘Idhayam Poguthe’ after his troupe’s set, with Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan among the prominent attendees.