A. R. Rahman

AllahRakha Rahman pronunciation help info , born A. S. Dileep Kumar onJanuary 1967 is an Indian composer, singersongwriter, music producer, musician and philanthropist. Rahmans works are noted for integrating Eastern classical music with electronic music, world music and traditional orchestral arrangements. Among his awards are two Academy Awards, two Grammy Awards, a BAFTA Award, a Golden Globe, four National Film Awards, fifteen Filmfare Awards and thirteen Filmfare Awards South. Rahmans body of work for film and stage has given him the nickname of the Mozart of Madras, and Tamil commentators and fans call him Isai Puyal English the Musical Storm.

Rahman was born in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India in a middleclass Tamil Mudaliar family. His father, R. K. Shekhar, was a filmscore composer and conductor for Tamil and Malayalam films Rahman assisted his father in the studio, playing the keyboard. After his fathers death when Rahman was nine years old, the rental of his fathers musical equipment provided his familys income. Raised by his mother, Kareema born Kashturi, 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 Chennaibased rock group Nemesis Avenue. 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 began his early musical training under Master Dhanraj, and at agebegan playing in the orchestra of Malayalam composer and close friend of his father M. K. Arjunan. He soon began working with other composers, such as M. S. Viswanathan, Ilaiyaraaja, Ramesh Naidu and RajKoti, accompanied Zakir Hussain, Kunnakudi Vaidyanathan and L. Shankar on world tours and obtained a scholarship from Trinity College London to the Trinity College of Music. Studying in Chennai, Rahman graduated with a diploma in Western classical music from the school. Rahman was introduced to Qadiri Islam when his younger sister was seriously ill in 1984. He converted to Islam his mothers religion with other members of his family in 1989 at age 23, changing his name from R.S. Dileep Kumar to Allah Rakha Rahman A.R. Rahman. ........

Source: Wikipedia