Daijiworld Media Network – Chennai

Chennai, Dec 13: Music maestro A R Rahman will be honoured with the prestigious Lakshminarayana International Award on December 15 during the curtain raiser of the Lakshminarayana Global Music Festival 2025.

According to a press release, the award will be conferred at a special ceremony marking the launch of the 35th edition of the festival at Rasika Ranjani Sabha in Chennai at 2 pm. The award recognises distinguished personalities in the field of arts and this year celebrates Rahman’s extraordinary contribution to music.

A two-time Academy Award winner, Rahman has redefined the soundscape of Indian cinema and global music. With over 150 million records sold across more than 100 film albums and soundtracks, his iconic works include Roja, Bombay, Dil Se, Taal, Lagaan, Slumdog Millionaire and 127 Hours.

Trained in Western classical music at Trinity College, Rahman founded the renowned Panchathan Record Inn in Chennai and made his landmark debut with Roja, earning a National Award and later winning six more, the highest for any Indian composer. He is also a recipient of the Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan.

Beyond cinema, Rahman continues to innovate through ventures such as the VR film Le Musk and by nurturing young talent through the KM Music Conservatory, Sunshine Orchestra, Firdaus Orchestra, and his recent ensembles Rooh-e-Noor and Jhalaa. Through the A R Rahman Foundation, he remains deeply committed to education and philanthropy.

Featured in Time magazine’s list of the “100 Most Influential People” and appointed Honorary President of Trinity Laban in 2024, Rahman continues to bridge tradition, technology and culture on the global stage.

Notably, in January 2023, Dr L Subramaniam and A R Rahman collaborated across three generations to recreate Don’t Leave Me, a tribute to Prof V Lakshminarayana on his 111th birth anniversary, further underscoring Rahman’s enduring musical legacy.