Ilaiyaraaja gets Padmapani Award at Ajanta-Ellora Film Fest 2026
Entertainment
Music legend Ilaiyaraaja is set to receive the Padmapani Award at this year's Ajanta-Ellora International Film Festival, happening January 28 to February 4.
The opening night will see him honored in front of artists and film fans from India and abroad.
Why does this matter?
The award brings a ₹2 lakh cash prize, a memento, and some serious respect—a past recipient was filmmaker Sai Paranjpye.
With over 7,000 songs for 1,500+ films across six languages and a career spanning over five decades, Ilaiyaraaja's influence on Indian music is massive.
If you love movies or music, this is one of those milestones that shows just how far creativity can take you.