Soon after, Prime Minister Narendra Modi issued congratulatory tweets for the eminent citizens, calling them an inspiration for every Indian.

“The remarkable PT Usha Ji is an inspiration for every Indian. Her accomplishments in sports are widely known but equally commendable is her work to mentor budding athletes over the last several years. Congratulations to her on being nominated to the Rajya Sabha,” Modi wrote on Twitter.

For Ilaiyaraaja, the PM said his creative genius has enthralled people across generations. “His works beautifully reflect many emotions. What is equally inspiring is his life journey- he rose from a humble background and achieved so much. Glad that he has been nominated to the Rajya Sabha,” Modi wrote.