This year, AIFF’s most prestigious honor – the Padmapani Award, will be given to the great composer, Padma Vibhushan awardee Shri Ilaiyaraaja, who gave a new direction to Indian film music with his unique compositions.
Ajanta-Ellora International Film Festival (AIFF), a grand celebration of the world of cinema, returns with its 11th edition. The festival will take place from January 28 to February 1, 2026 in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Maharashtra. This time the prestigious Padmapani award will be given to the great musician and Padma Vibhushan awardee Shri Ilaiyaraaja, who gave a new identity to Indian film music.
This announcement was made on Monday by AIFF Organizing Committee Chairman Mr. Nandkishore Kagliwal, Chief Patron Mr. Ankushrao Kadam and Honorary President Ashutosh Gowarikar. The decision to honor Ilaiyaraaja was taken by the Padmapani Award Selection Committee, headed by renowned film critic Smt. Latika Padgaonkar. Film producers Ashutosh Gowarikar, Sunil Sukthankar and Chandrakant Kulkarni were also included in this committee.
The Padmapani Award consists of a Padmapani memento, a certificate of appreciation and a cash prize of Rs 2,00,000. The award will be presented during the grand opening ceremony of the festival on Wednesday, January 28, 2025 at 5.30 pm at Rukmini Auditorium, MGM Campus, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar.
This felicitation ceremony will be held in the presence of national and international artists, well-known personalities from different fields and cinema lovers. After the inauguration, the festival screenings and events will be held at PVR INOX, Prozone Mall.
Celebrating Ilaiyaraaja’s legacy
In his illustrious career spanning over five decades, Ilaiyaraaja has composed over 7,000 songs and background scores for over 1,500 films. His musical talent has crossed language boundaries and left an indelible mark on Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, Hindi and Marathi cinema. Even today, this maestro continues to mesmerize the audience with his evergreen compositions.
Ilaiyaraaja’s music is a rare and brilliant fusion of Western symphonic structure with Indian classical and folk traditions. His creations have the extraordinary ability to enhance emotional depth and take cinematic storytelling to a new level. The selection committee said the Padmapani award – which symbolizes art, compassion and creative dedication – is a true tribute to Ilaiyaraaja’s spirituality, technical discipline and deep humanitarian sensitivity. Because of these qualities, his fans all over the world call him ‘Isaigyani’ (sage of music).
Apart from his musical legacy, Ilaiyaraaja is also a nominated member of the Rajya Sabha appointed by the President.