| 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 | 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
|
| Other Facts | 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 | is bringing out a book “Through My Eyes Only” which contains the photographs he has captured since early days |
| Favourite Camera | LIECA |
| Charities | orphanages, temples, and has performed on stage for the benefit of charities |
“
