- Age
- 83 yrs
- Birthday in 216 days
- Works listed
- 6
- Film score, Album
- Honours
- 3
- Most recent 2018
- Profile views
- 3
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Ilaiyaraaja is a composer, singer and lyricist who has written music for more than a thousand Indian films, mostly in Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and Kannada. Blending folk, Carnatic and Western classical music, he reshaped South Indian film music from the 1970s. He was nominated to the Rajya Sabha in 2022.
Biography
Village roots
Ilaiyaraaja grew up in a poor family in a village in Tamil Nadu and toured with his brothers in a troupe that sang folk songs and songs for the Communist movement. In Madras he learnt Western classical music and guitar and passed exams from Trinity College London, while working as a session musician.
A new sound
His first film, Annakili (1976), used rural Tamil folk tunes in a way that was fresh for film music, and he quickly became the most sought-after composer in South India. He wrote both songs and background scores, often orchestrating Western harmony and counterpoint around Indian melodies, and worked with directors such as Bharathiraja, Balu Mahendra and Mani Ratnam.
Beyond film
He released the instrumental albums How to Name It? (1986) and Nothing But Wind (1988) and composed a Tamil oratorio, Thiruvasagam, in 2005. In March 2025 his first symphony, “Valiant”, was premiered in London by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.
Honours
He has won five National Film Awards and received the Padma Bhushan in 2010 and the Padma Vibhushan in 2018. In 2022 he was nominated to the Rajya Sabha. Fans call him “Isaignani”, the musical genius. His sons Karthik Raja and Yuvan Shankar Raja are also composers.
Timeline
-
1943
Born in Pannaipuram, Theni district, Madras Presidency (now Tamil Nadu)
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1976
First film score: Annakili
-
1984
National Film Award for Sagara Sangamam
-
1986
Album How to Name It?
-
1987
Nayakan
-
2005
Thiruvasagam oratorio
-
2010
Padma Bhushan
-
2018
Padma Vibhushan
-
2022
Nominated to the Rajya Sabha
-
2025
Premieres his first symphony in London
Notable works
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1976
Annakili Film score
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1986
How to Name It? Album
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1987
Nayakan Film score
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1991
Thalapathi Film score
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2005
Thiruvasagam Oratorio
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2025
Symphony No. 1 “Valiant” Symphony
Awards and honours
-
National Film Award for Best Music Direction
1984 · Sagara Sangamam.
-
Padma Bhushan
2010
-
Padma Vibhushan
2018
Did you know?
-
1
He has composed for more than a thousand films.
-
2
He studied Western classical music through Trinity College London.
-
3
His first symphony premiered in London in 2025.
Connections
Related people
-
Mani Ratnam
Film & TV · Film director behind Nayakan, Roja and Ponniyin Selvan
Composed for Nayakan and Thalapathi
-
S. P. Balasubrahmanyam
Film & TV · Playback singer who recorded songs in 16 languages
Long-time collaborator
-
K. J. Yesudas
Film & TV · Classical and film singer with a record eight National Film Awards
Frequent collaborator
-
Kamal Haasan
Film & TV · Actor, filmmaker and politician known for daring roles in Tamil cinema
Composed for many of his films
Frequently asked
Who is Ilaiyaraaja?
Ilaiyaraaja is a composer, singer and lyricist who has written music for more than a thousand Indian films, mostly in Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and Kannada. Blending folk, Carnatic and Western classical music, he reshaped South Indian film music from the 1970s. He was nominated to the Rajya Sabha in 2022.
How old is Ilaiyaraaja?
Ilaiyaraaja is 83 years old, born on 2 June 1943 in Pannaipuram, Theni district, Madras Presidency (now Tamil Nadu).
Where is Ilaiyaraaja from?
Ilaiyaraaja was born in Pannaipuram, Theni district, Madras Presidency (now Tamil Nadu).
What is Ilaiyaraaja known for?
Ilaiyaraaja is best known for Tamil film music, Sagara Sangamam, Nayakan, Thiruvasagam oratorio, Symphony No. 1 “Valiant”.
What awards has Ilaiyaraaja received?
Notable honours include National Film Award for Best Music Direction (1984), Padma Bhushan (2010), Padma Vibhushan (2018).
References
- Ilaiyaraaja — Wikipedia. Wikipedia. Retrieved 27 October 2026.
- Ilaiyaraaja — IMDb. IMDb. Retrieved 27 October 2026.
- Ilaiyaraaja — Hindi Wikipedia. Wikipedia (Hindi). Retrieved 27 October 2026.
- Official website. ilaiyaraajalive.com. Retrieved 27 October 2026.
- Ilaiyaraaja (Q2720141) — structured data. Wikidata. Retrieved 27 October 2026.
Includes material from the Wikipedia article “Ilaiyaraaja”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. That text is available under the same licence. Learn more
External links
Featured in
Music
The voices of Indian film music
From Lata Mangeshkar to Arijit Singh, these singers and composers created the soundtrack of Indian life.
27 October 2026
Film & TV
How South Indian cinema conquered India
Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and Kannada films have always had loyal fans. In the last decade they have become national — and global — phenomena.
27 October 2026
About this profile
- Researched by the TrackFame editorial team; reviewed by Sanjay Sokal under our editorial policy
- First published 27 October 2026
- Last updated
Cite this page
“Ilaiyaraaja.” TrackFame, last updated 28 October 2026. https://trackfame.com/person/ilaiyaraaja
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