Oscar-winning composer AR Rahman’s mother, Kareema Begum, died in Chennai on Monday morning, PTI sources said. Reports stated that she had not been well for some time and her cremation will take place later on Monday.

The music maestro took to Twitter to share a photo of his mother. The post was, however, not accompanied by any text.

Condoling her death, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami posted on Twitter, “Sad to know that Kareema Begum, mother of music great A R Rahman died of illness.” DMK President M K Stalin also extended his condolences.

“He said she played a “big role” in Rahman’s musical journey from Tamil cinema to across the globe,” he tweeted.

On several occasions, Rahman revealed that he was always close to his mother and that she played a major role in shaping up his career.

“My mother realised my musical instincts, not me. My father was an arranger for composers and a Man Friday for many of them. Those days composers were Carnatic musicians, who would write the tunes and my father would arrange the music and so, he would be working with eight composers at the same time, working night and day. He died when I was just nine years old,” Rahman had said during an interaction with Chennai Times.

“Till five years after my father died, my mother would rent out his musical instruments to run the house after which she was advised to sell the equipment and live with the interest, but she refused to say. No, I have my son. He will take care,” he added.