Foundation laid for Ilaiyaraaja Centre for Music Learning and Research at IIT-M

The Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT-M) is all set to establish a centre for music research on its campus in association with renowned music composer Ilaiyaraaja. The musician himself, along with Tripura Governor Indirasena Reddy Nallu, laid the foundation stone for the IIT-M Maestro Ilaiyaraaja Centre for Music Learning and Research on Monday (May 20).

As part of the Memorandum of Understanding Ilaiyaraaja signed with V Kamakoti, director of IIT-M, the music maestro has reportedly agreed to donate all his musical notes to the centre. Kamakoti said the institute had approached Ilayaraaja, as music and its research are venturing to newer territories with advanced technology such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) being used in compositions.

A musical journey

The centre has been proposed to be made of bamboo, complete with an amphitheatre.

An emotional Ilaiyaraaja (80) shared his musical journey, recalling how he and his brother travelled to then Madras (now Chennai) as young boys to learn music, with nothing but a musical box for company. He said he never got any formal training in music and said it was only his passion that has brought him so far. “Music is as natural as my breath,” he said.

A biopic is also being made on the celebrated composer with the story penned by none other than actor Kamal Haasan. Ilaiyaraaja is currently scoring the music for that yet-untitled film starring Dhanush, directed by Arun Matheswaran, and also for the film Viduthalai 2.