The Department of Tourism of Kerala presents every year the Nishagandhi Puraskaram award in the light of Nishagandhi Dance & Music Festivals. In this year, our Maestro Ilaiyaraaja had been nominated to receive the honour.\r\n\r\nHe receives it for artistic excellence and contribution to the Indian Film Music Industry as quoted by the State Tourism Minister A.P.Anil Kumar. Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy will present him with it on January 20, the very same day of Thaarai Thappattai release.\r\n\r\nThe festival marks the performances by various artists including Hema Malini, Zakir Hussain, Sankaranarayanan, Anoushka Shankar, etc. The composer had earlier received the IFFI centenary award recently in November and another award awaits the legend. 

Ilaiyaraaja is an Indian film composer who works predominantly in the South Indian cinema since the late 1970s. Regarded as one of the finest music composers in India, Ilaiyaraaja is also an instrumentalist, conductor, singer, and a songwriter. He has composed more than 5000 songs and is the only composer in the history of cinema to provide film scores for more than 1000 films, particularly being acclaimed for his background scoring.

Isaignani to be honoured from Kerala Government

Ilayaraja