Over 10 mn people to join Illayaraja's fan club

The first official fan club for legendary music composer Illayaraja, to be launched April 5 in Madurai, will have over 10 million registered members, including hundreds of singers and musicians, says its managing trustee Velusamy.

Karthik Raja, eldest son of Illayaraja, will head the club and also serve as its chairman.

"The intention of this club is to bring fans of Illayaraja from all walks of life under one roof. This will also be the first official club for the maestro and it will be managed by a core team with a purpose. It will be a registered club and we are expecting over a crore people to enroll in it," Velusamy told IANS.

"Hundreds of singers and composers will also enroll themselves in the club. Illayaraja has been an inspiration for an entire generation of musicians. Another important intention of the club is to give back to the society which has given the maestro fame, wealth and goodwill," he added.

A series of social activities is being planned to be carried out by the club.

"We don't want this to be a regular fan club to merely celebrate the achievements of Illayaraja. We would like to use this platform to carry out several social activities throughout the state of Tamil Nadu," he said

"Illayaraja is already constructing schools for the poor in small villages. We plan to carry out such good social initiatives for the public. Post-inception, we will chalk out an agenda and work accordingly," Velusamy added.

Karthik Raja, who will unveil the club April 5, will also perform in front a large gathering.

"We are expecting people to turn up in thousands. It will be a grand event and the club will be officially launched on that day," he said.