Rahman initially composed scores for different documentaries and jingles for advertisements and Indian television channels. At the age of 23, he converted to Islam with other members of his family in 1989, changing his name to Allah Rakha Rahman (A. Rahman was introduced to Qadiri tariqa when his younger sister was seriously ill in 1984. Studying in Madras, Rahman graduated with a diploma in Western classical music from the school. Shankar on world tours and obtained a scholarship from Trinity College London to the Trinity College of Music. Viswanathan, Vijaya Bhaskar, Ilaiyaraaja, Ramesh Naidu, Vijay Anand, Hamsalekha and Raj–Koti, accompanied Zakir Hussain, Kunnakudi Vaidyanathan and L. He soon began working with other composers, such as M. Rahman began his early musical training under Master Dhanraj, and at age 11 began playing in the orchestra of Malayalam composer (and close friend of his father) M. He mastered the keyboard, piano, synthesizer, harmonium and guitar, and was particularly interested in the synthesizer because it was the "ideal combination of music and technology". Rahman was a keyboard player and arranger for bands such as Roots (with childhood friend and percussionist Sivamani, John Anthony, Suresh Peters, JoJo and Raja) and founded the Chennai-based rock group Nemesis Avenue. However, after discussing with his mother, he later dropped out of school to pursue a career as a full-time musician. Rahman attended another school called MCN for a year, and later joined Madras Christian College Higher Secondary School, where he was admitted on his music talent and formed a band with his high school classmates. However, in an interview in 2012, Rahman said that his mother was summoned and was told to take him to the streets of Kodambakkam to beg and not to send him to the school anymore. Therefore, the Principal Mrs YGP summoned Rahman and his mother and told them that Rahman should focus on academics irrespective of family circumstances. which led to him to routinely miss classes and fail exams. Raised by his mother, Kareema (born Kashturi), Rahman, who was studying in Padma Seshadri Bala Bhavan had to work to support his family. He assisted his father in the studio, playing the keyboard.Īfter his father's death when Rahman was nine years old, the rental of his father's musical equipment provided his family's income. Shekhar from a Mudaliar family, was a film-score composer and conductor for Tamil and Malayalam films. Dileep Kumar in Madras, Tamil Nadu, on 6 January 1967. In 2017, he made his debut as a director and writer for the film Le Musk. He has also received honorary doctorate from Aligarh Muslim University. In 2014, he was awarded an honorary doctorate from Berklee College of Music. In 2013, he introduced 7.1 surround sound technology to South Indian films. In 2009, he was included on the Time list of the world's 100 most influential people. In 2008, he received Lifetime Achievement Award from the Rotary Club of Madras. In 2006, he was honoured by Stanford University for his contributions to global music. Rahman has also become a humanitarian and philanthropist, donating and raising money for a number of causes and charities. He is nicknamed "Isai Puyal" (musical storm) and "Mozart of Madras". He was also awarded Best Compilation Soundtrack Album and Best Song Written for Visual Media at the 2010 Grammy Awards. His music for Slumdog Millionaire (2008) earned him Best Original Score and Best Original Song at the 81st Academy Awards. Rahman's score for his first Hollywood film, the comedy Couples Retreat (2009), won the BMI Award for Best Score. Following that, he went on to score several songs for Tamil language films, including Ratnam's politically charged Bombay, the urban Kadhalan, Thiruda Thiruda, and S. With his in-house studio Panchathan Record Inn, Rahman's film-scoring career began during the early 1990s with the Tamil film Roja. Among Rahman's awards are six National Film Awards, two Academy Awards, two Grammy Awards, a BAFTA Award, a Golden Globe Award, fifteen Filmfare Awards and seventeen Filmfare Awards South. In 2010, the Indian government awarded him the Padma Bhushan, the nation's third-highest civilian award. Dileep Kumar 6 January 1967) is an Indian film composer, record producer, singer and songwriter who works predominantly in Tamil and Hindi films. Allah Rakha Rahman ( pronunciation ( help