Amjad Ali Khan And Sons Receive Their First-Ever Grammy Awards For Dalai Lama Album

For most social media users, unboxing a package is routine content. For legendary sarod maestro Amjad Ali Khan and his sons, Amaan Ali Bangash and Ayaan Ali Bangash, opening a package that arrived from Los Angeles marked a historic and deeply personal milestone.

Inside were their first-ever Grammy Awards, engraved with their names.

The trio received the honour for composing and performing the music score for Meditations: The Reflections of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, which won the Grammy for Best Audio Book, Narration and Storytelling Recording at the 68th Annual Grammy Awards earlier this year. The father-son ensemble became the only Indians to receive a Grammy Award in 2026.

The album also marked another historic achievement. It earned the first Grammy Award for Dalai Lama, the Tibetan spiritual leader and Nobel Peace Prize laureate, at the age of 90.

Reflecting on the recognition, Amjad Ali Khan said, “As a family, we feel deeply humbled to have collaborated with His Holiness The Dalai Lama on the special album Meditations: Reflections of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, which was honoured with a Grammy Award. He has been a guiding light for us for many years. His message of peace, compassion and hope continues to inspire not only our music but also our lives.”

The musicians personally presented the Grammy Award to the Dalai Lama on June 3 in McLeod Ganj, Dharamshala, where the spiritual leader resides.

Speaking about the project, Amaan and Ayaan Ali Bangash said the experience of pairing the Dalai Lama's reflections with music was profoundly moving.

“To hear his reflections interwoven with music has been a deeply moving experience, one that reminds us of the power of art to uplift the human spirit. We hope these meditations bring comfort and happiness to listeners. We are grateful to every artist who lent their voice, spirit and creativity to this work,” they said.

The album combines the spoken reflections of the Dalai Lama with original music, celebrating his lifelong message of peace, compassion, kindness and hope.

Alongside Amjad Ali Khan, Amaan and Ayaan Ali Bangash, the project also featured multi-Grammy and Emmy Award-winning producer, author and composer Kabir Sehgal. The album brought together Indian classical traditions with artists from across the world, creating a unique dialogue between music and meditation.

Guest contributors include Maggie Rogers, Rufus Wainwright, Andra Day, Tony Succar, Ted Nash and Debi Nova, representing genres ranging from pop and soul to jazz, Latin music and singer-songwriter traditions.

Interestingly, Grammy winners receive their personalised engraved trophies several weeks after the awards ceremony. The gramophone held on stage during the broadcast is a presentation prop, while the final engraved trophy is hand-cast, plated and customised with the winner's name and category before being shipped.

With the arrival of their engraved Grammy Awards, the recognition now feels tangible for Amjad Ali Khan and his sons, an honour that celebrates not only their musical legacy but also a cross-cultural project built around the universal values of peace, compassion and hope.

Meditations: Reflections of His Holiness the Dalai Lama is currently available across major streaming platforms.