Maestro Ilaiyaraaja celebrates his 75th birthday today. The music composer, who began his career with Annakili in 1976, was bestowed with the Padma Vibhushan, the nation’s second highest civilian honour earlier this year.
Ilaiyaraaja, whose name is often prefixed with Maestro or Isaignaani, has composed close to 7,000 songs spread across more than a thousand films in many languages.
The composer, to whose songs many generations fell in love, sought meaning in life, and drowned their sorrows in, was bestowed with the Padma Bhushan in 2010.
Ilaiyaraaja has consistently refused to slot his music or classify it, and has also shied away from explaining its process of creation.
Tributes came pouring in to wish the maestro on his birthday.
Birthday greetings to the peerless Ilayaraja, musician, composer and an extraordinary artiste who defines India’s rhythms. Honoured to have formally awarded him the Padma Vibhushan earlier this year #PresidentKovind pic.twitter.com/GkHlxVxph6
— President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) June 2, 2018
HAPPIEST MUSICAL B’DAY to d GOD OF MUSIC..d LEGEND who redefined Music & Background score wit his unimaginable Musical Magic!! D one who touched our Hearts & Souls with his “Notes of Emotion”!! D Inspiration !! 1&only MAESTRO ILAYARAJA SIR !! Lov U sirrr ????❤️❤️???? pic.twitter.com/y7rejDO2Pb
— DEVI SRI PRASAD (@ThisIsDSP) June 1, 2018
My first #ilaiyaraja song- "puthiya paravai paranthathe'…
movie- Thendral varum theru'
Goosebumps even now.#HBDRajaSir #hbdilayaraja pic.twitter.com/h1trqjj3TC— kasturi shankar (@KasthuriShankar) June 1, 2018
Happy bday #music ???? pic.twitter.com/eg9mpIDCb2
— venkat prabhu (@vp_offl) June 2, 2018
Happy birthday to music mastero #Ilayaraja sir. Extraordinary legend of music… My music education is all the songs that he's composed.. Grew up with that magic to be who I am today! Wishing you the happiest 75 sir 🙂 #HBDIlayaraja #Isaignani #musicmastero @thisisysr
— Dharan kumar (@dharankumar_c) June 2, 2018
Many more happy returns to the legend God of music ?
The king of music #isaignani #Ilayaraaja sir ♥️#respect ✊ pic.twitter.com/0jXK7qPgeX— thaman S (@MusicThaman) June 2, 2018
