Shankar Mahadevan, Zakir Hussain's Band Makes History With Grammy Win For Best Global Music Album

Indian artists made a resounding impact at the 66th Annual Grammy Awards, seizing a total of six prestigious Grammys, with tabla maestro Zakir Hussain clinching three awards single-handedly. The music industry's most celebrated event took place on February 4 at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, under the helm of comedian Trevor Noah, who hosted for the fourth consecutive year.

The fusion band Shakti, led by Shankar Mahadevan and Zakir Hussain, emerged victorious in the Best Global Music Album category for their album "This Moment", triumphing over acclaimed releases from artists hailing from African, Caribbean, and Peruvian origins. Comprising eight captivating tracks, the album showcased the collaborative brilliance of John McLaughlin (guitar, guitar synth), Zakir Hussain (tabla), Shankar Mahadevan (vocalist), V Selvaganesh (percussionist), and Ganesh Rajagopalan (violinist). "This Moment" marked Shakti's comeback after 46 years, following their last studio album "Natural Elements" in 1977. Notably, this win marks the fifth victory for Indian artists in the category formerly known as Best World Music Album, with the previous win occurring in 2013 for Ravi Shankar's "The Living Room Sessions Pt. 1".

While Shankar Mahadevan celebrated his inaugural Grammy win, Zakir Hussain, a seasoned veteran, added to his illustrious tally with previous wins in the same category for "Planet Drum" in 1991 and "Raga Aberi" in 1996.

Another significant triumph for Indian artists came in the Best Global Music Performance category for the track "Pashto", featuring Zakir Hussain, Indian flautist Rakesh Chaurasia (who secured two Grammy wins), and American musicians Bela Fleck and Edgar Meyer. Other Indian-linked songs nominated in the category included "Abundance in Millets" by Grammy winner Falu, featuring Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and "Shadow Forces" by Arooj Aftab and Vijay Iyer.

The album "As We Speak", which includes the acclaimed track "Pashto", earned the award for Best Contemporary Instrumental Album. Curated by Zakir Hussain, Bela Fleck, Edgar Meyer, and Rakesh Chaurasia, the album presents a harmonious fusion of Indian and Western musical elements, blending banjo, tabla, double bass, and bansuri to create a captivating sonic tapestry spanning Indian classical, jazz, and bluegrass music.

Multiple Grammy winner Ricky Kej expressed his elation for the Indian artists' success, commending Zakir Hussain, Shankar Mahadevan, Rakesh Chaurasia, V Selvaganesh, and Ganesh Rajagopalan in a post on X. Kej himself claimed his third Grammy for the album "Divine Tides" at the 65th Annual Grammy Awards last year.

India's journey at the Grammys began in 1968, with Ravi Shankar's victory in the Best Chamber Music Performance category. Since then, Indian artists have amassed a total of 19 Grammys across diverse categories, showcasing the nation's rich musical legacy on the global stage.