Oscar award winner musical maestro A.R. Rahman was honored, with a reception by the State government here on Sunday. The function at Kadavu Resorts, which was conducted a few hours before his Jai Ho concert, was well attended with ministers like Elamarom Kareem, Benoy Viswam and MN K Premachandran waiting for hours for the Madras Mozart to complete his rehearsals before the concert.

Rahman who appeared in a blue jeans and white Kurta was presented with a memento, jointly by the three ministers, on behalf of the State Government. Rahman, in hi short speech expressed his happiness to be in Kerala, where he was longing to perform for the last 15 years.

Kozhikode Mayor M. Bhaskaran, District Collector P.B. Salim, P. Sathi Devi, MP P.V. Abdul Wahab, MP and chairman of Global Kerala Initiative – Keraleeyam (the organiser of the ‘Jai Ho’ show); Deputy Speaker Jose Baby; MLAs A. Pradeep Kumar and P.M.A. Salam and the former Minister M.K. Muneer were also among the celebrities who attended the function.