Widely considered as perhaps one of the highest honours in the global music industry, the Grammy Awards recognise artistic excellence, cultural influence and creative storytelling across genres, celebrating voices that resonate beyond borders. Over the years, this award ceremony has given its audience some spectacular moments to remember; however, this time around, the world got to witness a rather rare and historic moment. The 14th Dalai Lama joined the list of winners by securing his first Grammy for a spoken-word album- 'Meditations: The Reflections of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.'
This album was created in collaboration with legendary sarod maestro Amjad Ali Khan and his sons, Amaan Ali Bangash and Ayaan Ali Bangash. It is wise to say that this particular project weaves spiritual wisdom with Indian classical music, while also drawing on contributions from various international artists to create a work that feels both intimate and universal. The album brings together the Dalai Lama's calm, contemplative voice as he reflects on themes of peace, compassion, kindness, hope, mindfulness, shared humanity and care for the planet, set against a deeply evocative musical landscape
The award was announced during the pre-telecast ceremony, which was being live-streamed on YouTube and watched by an audience from across the globe. Post his win, a message from the Dalai Lama was posted on his official social media pages.
The message read, "I receive this recognition with gratitude and humility. I don't see it as something personal, but as a recognition of our shared universal responsibility. I truly believe that peace, compassion, care for our environment, and an understanding of the oneness of humanity are essential for the collective well-being of all eight billion human beings. I'm grateful that this Grammy recognition can help spread these messages more widely."
It was singer-songwriter Rufus Wainwright who accepted the Grammy on behalf of the Dalai Lama. Wainwright had also collaborated on this project along with many other International artists from various traditions. The win surpassed a diverse lineup of prominent nominees, which included Grammy Awards host Trevor Noah, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, and Fab Morvan of Milli Vanilli.
