Shakti’s Grammy nominations: Ustad Zakir Hussain’s parting gift to the music world

In what feels like a fitting culmination to a trailblazing musical journey, tabla maestro Ustad Zakir Hussain has bid farewell to the global stage on a resonant note — two Grammy nominations for his final outing with Shakti, the Indo-jazz ensemble he co-founded with British guitar virtuoso John McLaughlin.

The nomination for Mind Explosion: Shakti’s 50th Anniversary Tour – Live from 2024 for Best Global Music Album echoes half a century of musical camaraderie, improvisation, and innovation that redefined the boundaries of East-West fusion.

(from left) Selvaganesh, Shankar Mahadevan, John McLaughlin, Ganesh and Ustad Zakir Hussain
| Photo Credit:
Courtesy: Shakti

The live album captures the electric synergy of the band’s milestone tour, featuring the Ustad’s percussive brilliance alongside McLaughlin’s fluid guitar lines, Shankar Mahadevan’s soaring vocals, Selvaganesh’s rhythmic kanjira, and Ganesh Rajagopalan’s emotive violin. The tour took the band across the globe, beginning in Bengaluru’s Jayamahal Palace Hotel Grounds on January 20, 2023. They also performed in Mumbai, Kolkata and New Delhi before heading to Europe and the U.S. 

‘Shrini’s Dream’ is dedicated to former band member and mandolin prodigy U. Shrinivas
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The Hindu Archives

Shakti’s second nomination, for Shrini’s Dream in the Best Global Music Performance category, is a heartfelt tribute to mandolin prodigy U. Shrinivas — a former Shakti member whose genius left an indelible mark on Indian classical and fusion music. The track beautifully weaves memory into melody.

For Ustad Zakir Hussain, these nominations are more than professional milestones — they are a gift to his bandmates, to the genre he helped shape and to the audiences who have followed Shakti’s journey across decades and continents.

Anoushka Shankar has also been nominated in two categories
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Special Arrangement

Not just Shakti, there are more Indians and Indian-origin artistes stealing the spotlight at the Grammy nomination. Sitarist Anoushka Shankar, sarod player Alam Khan, jazz composer Charu Suri and sound artiste Siddhant Bhatia are among those recognised for their genre defying work. Anoushka has made it to the list for the 11th time, a testament to her enduring influence in global music. She has been nominated in two categories. Her single Daybreak, created with Alam and percussionist Sarathy Korwar, is in the running for Best Global Music Performance, while the trio’s collaborative album Chapter III: We Return To Light vies for Best Global Music Album. The project blends Indian classical textures with contemporary soundscapes, continuing the musical dialogue once shared by sitar legend Pt. Ravi Shankar (Anoushka’s father) and sarod maestro Ustad Ali Akbar Khan (Alam’s father).

Madurai-born and U.S.-based pianist and composer Charu Suri
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Special Arrangement

Charu Suri, the New York-based jazz pianist, has earned a nomination in the Contemporary Instrumental Album category for Shayan, a meditative blend of Indian ragas and jazz improvisation. Siddhant Bhatia’s Sounds of Kumbha, inspired by the sonic and spiritual energy of the Kumbh Mela bags nomination in the Global Music Album category.

Together, these artistes reflect a growing global appreciation for Indian classical, devotional, and fusion music, which is reshaping the art of music-making.