New Delhi: Music composer AR Rahman has been honoured by Canada as Markham city in the country has named a street after him. The Academy Award-winning composer took to Twitter and shared a heartfelt note, thanking the officials for the honour. He thanked Mayor Frank Scarpitti and the people of Canada in his tweet.
Rahman posed for pictures with the Canadian officials near the street. He wrote, "Honoured and grateful for this recognition from @cityofmarkham and @frankscarpitti and the people of Canada #arrahmanstreet #markham #canada #infinitelovearr #celebratingdiversity (sic)."
His statement read: “I never imagined this in my life. I am very grateful to all of you, the Mayor of Markham, Cananda (Frank Scarpitti), and counsellors, Indian Consulate General (Apoorva Srivastava) and the people of Canada.” Back in 2013, he had shared a picture of himself holding a board which read, 'Allah Rakha Rahman st.'
The name A.R. Rahman is not mine. It means merciful. The merciful is the quality of the common God we all have and one can only be the servant of merciful. So, let that name bring peace, prosperity, happiness and health to all people living in Canada. God bless you all. I want to thank my brothers and sisters of India for all the love. All the creative people who worked with me, gave me the inspiration to rise up and celebrate hundred years of cinema; with all the legends included. I am a very small drop in the ocean.
I feel like this gives me immense responsibility to do much more and be inspiring; not to get tired and not to retire…yet. Even if I get tired I will remember that I have more things to do, more people to connect, more bridges to cross.”
AR Rahman's next release will be Chiyaan Vikram's ‘’Cobra, which will release on August 31. He has also given music to Mani Ratnam's magmum-opus ‘Ponniyin Selvan’.