Ilaiyaraaja Honoured With a Commemorative Stamp in Australia for 50 Years in Music

Ilaiyaraaja has added an international honour to his long career. A commemorative stamp has been released in Australia to mark his 50-year journey in music, and the recognition took place at the Parliament of Victoria.

The honour is linked to the Victorian government. Treasurer Enver Erdogan and members of the Australian Parliament were part of the recognition, which celebrates more than five decades of the composer's work in cinema.

Ilaiyaraaja thanked the Victorian government and the Australian representatives behind the honour. He said the moment moved him deeply because his life and career began in a small village in Tamil Nadu. Being recognised in a parliament abroad after such simple beginnings, he said, meant a great deal to him personally.

The composer has made music for more than 1,500 films, and his body of work remains a big part of South Indian cinema. Reports note that his songs across Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and Kannada films are still popular with listeners many years after they first came out.

He is not slowing down either. His recent work includes Dorothy, and he is also attached to the upcoming film Lenin Pandiyan. Reports say songs from Dorothy, including Kalyana Virundhu and Muthumani, have drawn attention from listeners.

The Australia visit is reportedly not over yet. According to reports, Ilaiyaraaja is set to perform a concert in Sydney on September 26 as part of the same 50-year celebrations, which makes it a busy week for the composer and his fans there.