Padma Vibhushan Ilaiyaraaja to Receive Prestigious Padmapani Award

• Veteran Indian music composer and Rajya Sabha member, Padma Vibhushan Ilaiyaraaja, will be honored with the Padmapani Award.
• The award recognizes his invaluable contributions to Indian cinema and his role in giving a new direction to film music.
• The announcement was made by the Ajanta Ellora International Film Festival organizers, including Nandkishore Kagaliwal and Ashutosh Gowariker.
• The award ceremony will take place on January 28, 2026, at Rukmini Auditorium, MGM Campus, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, during the 11th Ajanta Ellora International Film Festival.
• Ilaiyaraaja has composed over 7000 songs for more than 1500 films in various Indian languages, blending Carnatic, Hindustani, folk, and Western symphony.

Why It Matters: Ilaiyaraaja, the legendary music composer, is set to receive the esteemed Padmapani Award for his cinematic contributions.