| Original
Name |
Gnanadhesikan(at
birth), Rasaiya(from school) |
| Other Names/Titles |
Rasaiyya-By friends
Raja-By Music tutor Dhanraj
Ilayaraja-By film director Panju Arunachalam
Isaignani-by Kalaingar |
| Date
of Birth |
2,June,1943 |
| Address |
Ilayaraaja
38, Murugesan Street, Theagaraya Nagar
Chennai, Tamil Nadu
India 600 017 |
| Phone
No |
91-44-828
3209 |
| Place
of birth |
Pannaipuram,
Madurai District, Tamil Nadu, India |
| Family |
Father
-Ramasamy
Mother-Chinnaththayi
Brothers and sisters-Pavalar Varadharajan,
Kamala, Padma, Baskar and Amarsingh(Gangai Amaran)
Wife-Jeeva
Sons-Karthik raja, Yuvan shankar Raja(Music Directors)
Daughter-Bhavatharini(Playback Singer) |
| Education |
School
drop out.
Carnatic Music and western music, Gold medalist in
classical guitar (Higher Local) examination conducted by the
Trinity College of Music, London |
| Career |
Music
Composer,Lyricist |
| Before
becoming a music director |
With
brother and mentor Mr Pavalar Varadarajan and two more brothers,
performed 20,000 music concerts in Tamil Nadu, Kerala and
Mumbai.
Assistant Music Director with Mr G K Venkatesh |
| Songs
composed |
About
4000 songs and background music for more than 750 films |
| Albums
And other Works |
Albums
"How To Name It?" and "Nothing But Wind "
Composed musical score for
- the television docu-feature
film 'India 24 hours' appreciated by
Director Mr. Micheal Tobiaz
- the 'Miss World 1996 Pageantry'
- devotional albums like
"Ilayaraajavin Geethanjali'', "Meenakshi
sthothram'', "Moogaambigai'' "keerthanas and
'varnams'' titled 'Raja Lahari','Raajavin Ramana
Malai' and Vedic Chants
|
| Other
Facts |
Harmonium
player, and guitar player (classical) since childhood
First Asian to compose
Symphony (Symphony No. 1) with the Royal Philharmonic
Orchestra (RPO) of London.
Author of the books -
"Sangeetha Kanavugal" (His feelings and impressions
during the concert tour to the Europe.)
"vetta velythanil koti kidakkuthu" (His
spiritual experiences.)
"vazhiththunai"
|
| Awards |
Best
Film Music Composer Award, an annual award, by the Government
of India in the years 1984, 1986 and1988.
'Kalaimamani Award', an annual award for excellence
in the field of arts, by the Government of the State of Tamil
Nadu, India
Lata Mangeshkar Award For Excellence in Music in 1988
Conferred the Degree of Doctor of Letter, by the Annamalai
University, Tamil Nadu, India in March 1994 and by the Madurai
kamraj University in 1996
and many more. |
| First
Musical Instrument |
a talc
box and a string that resembled a classical Indian instrument
- "thambura" |
|
Favourite playback singers |
Rafi,Jesudas,Balu |
|
Favourite Music Directors |
C.Ramachandra,Naushath,S.D.Burman,Madan
Mohan,Roshan,Subburaman,Ramanathan,S.N.Venkatraman,M.S.V |
|
Favourite proverb |
"Theethum
nandrum pirar thara vaara"-Tamil Proverb |
|
Favourite world leader |
Mahatma
Gandhiji |
| Most
read book |
"Arunmozhi
Thoguppu"-by Ramanar |
|
Hobbies |
Photography.He
is bringing out a book "Through My Eyes Only" which
contains the photographs he has captured since early days |
| Favourite Camera |
LIECA |
| Charities |
He has given
donations to orphanages,
temples, and has performed on stage for the benefit of charities |
