Ilaiyaraaja refutes reports that he had decided to return his Padma Vibushan

Ilaiyaraaja has refuted earlier reports that stated that he had decided to return his Padma Vibushan award.

The maestro was conferred with Padma Vibushan in 2018. Earlier, Dhina, head of the Film musicians Association, had stated that the composer had decided to return the award following his tiff with Prasad Studios.

Ilaiyaraaja, who used to record at the Prasad Film Studio in Chennai, was asked to vacate the premises. Following this, the composer sued the studio heads and requested the court to let him enter and retrieve his belongings. The studio owners, on the other hand, had stated that they would allow him to do the same if the cases against the studio were withdrawn.

Reports state that when Ilaiyaraaja went to retrieve his belongings, he found that the building he worked in was demolished and that his belongings, including the prestigious Padma Vibushan, were "piled up like trash" in a room.

Dhina reacted to this news, and reports quoted him as saying the maestro had decided to return the award to the Central Government.

Ilaiyaraaja issued a clarification on the same and said the statements were not made by him and that they were false.

Dhina also released a video and stated that the media misunderstood his claims. "I merely stated that Prasad Studio disrespected the Padma Vibushan by treating it like trash and that I feel Ilaiyaraaja should return the award. Instead, it was reported that Ilaiyaraaja had decided to return the award," he said.