AR Rahman to be honoured with Lakshminarayana International Award for contributions to the field of arts

AR Rahman to receive a new honour

Music maestro A.R. Rahman is set to be honoured with the Lakshminarayana International Award on December 15, 2025, at the curtain raiser of the Lakshminarayana Global Music Festival 2025.

The Lakshminarayana International Award honours legendary artists for their contributions in the field of arts, with the upcoming edition looking forward to recognising the Oscar-winning music composer and singer.

The award will be presented in a special ceremony, which will be a curtain raiser to the 35th year of the Lakshminarayana Global Music Festival on Monday, December 15, 2025, at the Rasika Ranjani Sabha in Chennai, at 2 PM, as per a press release.

Two-time Academy Award winner and global music icon AR Rahman's work is known for playing a key role in transforming the sound of Indian cinema. With over 150 million records sold across more than 100 film soundtracks and albums, his landmark scores include Roja, Bombay, Dil Se, Taal, Lagaan, Slumdog Millionaire and 127 Hours.

Trained in Western classical music at Trinity College, he founded the pioneering Panchathan Record Inn in Chennai and made a historic debut with Roja, winning the National Award, later earning six more, the most for any Indian composer.

He is also a recipient of the Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan.

Also Read: When Sonu Nigam said, 'AR Rahman is NOT a great singer’

Beyond cinema, Rahman continues to innovate through projects like his VR film Le Musk and through nurturing new talent with the KM Music Conservatory, the Sunshine Orchestra, the Firdaus Orchestra, and his recent ensembles Rooh-e-Noor and Jhalaa.

Through the A. R. Rahman Foundation, he remains committed to education and philanthropy. Featured in Time's "100 Most Influential People" and appointed Honorary President of Trinity Laban in 2024, Rahman stands at the forefront of global music, seamlessly bridging tradition, technology and culture.

Also Read: AR Rahman recalls a childhood marked by trauma, poverty and survival; says, ‘My father and mother were thrown onto the street’

In January 2023, Dr. L. Subramaniam & A R Rahman, along with three generations, collaborated & produced a new version of Don't Leave Me, one of Dr. L. Subramaniam's soulful compositions, which he had composed for his father in 1985. The song is from one of the most critically acclaimed albums, Conversations. This version was done as a tribute to Prof. V. Lakshminarayana for his 111th Birth Anniversary.