India was in the spotlight as musicians Shankar Mahadevan and Zakir Hussain’s fusion band ‘Shakti’ bagged the Grammy for ‘Best Global Music Album’ for their album “This Moment”.
“Thank you, boys. Thank you, God, family, friends, and India. India, we are proud of you…Last but not least, I would like to dedicate this award to my wife whom every note of my music is dedicated to,” said Shankar Mahadevan in his acceptance speech.
Zakir Hussain also won the ‘Best Global Music Performance’ Grammy for ‘Pashto’ alongside Bela Fleck and Edgar Meyer, featuring Rakesh Chaurasia.
Rakesh Chaurasia also took home the Grammy for Contemporary Instrumental album.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday (February 5) congratulated Zakir Hussain, Rakesh Chaurasia, Shankar Mahadevan, Ganesh Rajagopalan, and Selvaganesh Vinayakram on winning big at the 2024 Grammy Awards.
In an X post, the Prime Minister praised the five artists for making India proud at the Los Angeles-based musical extravaganza.
“Congratulations @ZakirHtabla, @Rakeshflute, @Shankar_Live, @kanjeeraselva, and @violinganesh on your phenomenal success at the #GRAMMYs! Your exceptional talent and dedication to music have won hearts worldwide.”
“India is proud! These achievements are a testament to the hard work you keep putting in. It will also inspire the new generation of artists to dream big and excel in music,” PM Modi added.
Flute player Rakesh Chaurasia, nephew of legendary flutist Hariprasad Chaurasia, thanked the Prime Minister for his wishes. The musician won two Grammys as part of the ensemble of American banjo player Bela Fleck and American bassist Edgar Meyer for “Pashto” and “As We Speak”.
“Thank you very much Honorable PM @narendramodi ji. Your wishes truly mean a lot. I feel extremely happy and proud as an Indian to bring 2 Grammys home.. A surreal and overwhelming feeling. Thank you to all for your love and blessings,” he wrote in his reply to Modi.
While tabla maestro Hussain was India’s big winner with three Grammys, Rakesh Chaurasia picked up two. Singer Mahadevan, violinist Rajagopalan, and percussionist Selvaganesh, Hussain’s collaborators in the fusion group Shakti, won one Grammy each at the event held at the Crypto.com Arena Sunday night.
Besides his Best Global Music Album award for Shakti’s “This Moment”, Hussain won two other awards — the Best Global Music Performance for “Pashto” and Best Contemporary Instrumental Album for “As We Speak”.
“This Moment” features the four Indians as well as its founding member, the legendary British guitarist John McLaughlin. The album, which was released to critical acclaim in June 2023, is the group’s first studio album in more than 45 years.
