Grammys 2024: Shankar Mahadevan, Ustad Zakir Hussain's band Shakti gets Best Music Album
New Delhi, Feb 5: Shakti, a fusion music group comprising tabla maestro Zakir Hussain and singer Shankar Mahadevan, has won the 2024 Grammy Award for best global music album for 'This Moment'.
The album features founding member, guitarist John McLaughlin alongside Hussain, Mahadevan, violinist Ganesh Rajagopalan and percussionist Selvaganesh Vinayakram.
Shakti's 'This Moment', the group's first studio album in more than 45 years, was released to critical acclaim in June 2023.
The Recording Academy, which conducts the Grammy Awards, made the announcement on its X page.
"Congrats Best Global Music Album winner - 'This Moment' Shakti. #GRAMMYs," the post read.
Mahadevan, who took the stage alongside Rajagopalan and Selvaganesh, gave a shout-out to McLaughlin and Hussain. While McLaughlin gave the ceremony a miss, Hussain was backstage as he had won another Grammy.
"We miss you John ji. Zakir Hussain, he just had another Grammy today. Thank you boys, God, family, friends and India. We are proud of you, India," said Mahadevan in the speech, dedicating the win to his wife Sangeeta.
Rajagopalan thanked the Recording Academy for the recognition.
Hussain won two more Grammys at the event: one for best global music performance for 'Pashto' and the other for best contemporary instrumental album for 'As We Speak' alongside American banjo player Bela Fleck and American bassist Edgar Meyer, featuring Indian flute player Rakesh Chaurasia, nephew of legendary flautist Hariprasad Chaurasia.
Two-time Grammy winner Ricky Kej, who attended the awards ceremony, called 2024 the year of India at the Grammys.
"Wowwww.. this is truly India's year at the Grammys!!! Wowww.. Rakesh Chaurasia, Shankar Mahadevan, Ganesh Rajagopalan, Selvaganesh Vinayakram and Ustad Zakhir Hussain.. India is truly shining!! Thrilled!!!! 5 Indians win in a single year :-) #GRAMMYs #GRAMMYs2024," he wrote.
In a separate post, Kej hailed triple wins for Hussain and double feat for Chaurasia.
".. and Ustad Zakhir Hussain, the living legend, creates history by winning 3 Grammys in one night!!! Rakesh Chaurasia wins 2!! This is a great year for India at the Grammys.. and I am blessed to witness it. @RecordingAcad #indiawinsatgrammys," he added.
McLaughlin, a British guitarist, formed Shakti in 1973 with Hussain, Indian violin player L Shankar, and percussionist T H 'Vikku' Vinayakram (father of Selvaganesh Vinayakram). Along with mridangam player Ramnad V Raghavan, the band released their first album 'Shakti with John Mclaughlin' in 1975. Billed as an "unprecedented transcontinental collaboration", Shakti unites Eastern and Western musicians, and in the process forged the template for what is now called world music, according to the group's official website.
"Their dynamic musical hybrid immediately enthralled audiences around the globe – and inspired generations of musicians, artists, and thinkers from all walks of life to embark on their own cross-cultural odysseys." The 2024 Grammy Awards were held on late Sunday night at Los Angeles' Crypto.com Arena.
Congrats Best Global Music Album winner - 'This Moment' Shakti. #GRAMMYs 🎶
— Recording Academy / GRAMMYs (@RecordingAcad) February 4, 2024
WATCH NOW https://t.co/OuKk34kvdu pic.twitter.com/N7vXftfaDy
.... and Ustad Zakhir Hussain, the living legend creates history by winning 3 Grammys in one night!!! Rakesh Chaurasia wins 2!! This is a great year for India at the Grammys.. and I am blessed to witness it. @RecordingAcad #indiawinsatgrammys
— Ricky Kej (@rickykej) February 5, 2024
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Stalin lashes out at Centre, calls union budget a 'revenge' against country
Chennai (PTI): Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Saturday launched a sharp attack against the ruling BJP at the Centre over the 2024-25 Union Budget, calling it a 'revenge' taken by the saffron party against the country and warned it will face more electoral defeats since it was committing "mistake after mistake."
Explaining his decision to boycott the Niti Aayog meeting scheduled in New Delhi under the Chairmanship of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday, Stalin said he was 'compelled' to speak in the people's forum, seeking justice due to the "discriminatory attitude" towards Tamil Nadu reflected in the budget.
The state's pleas for disaster relief to the tune of Rs 37,000 crore and Chennai Metro Rail's second phase were not heeded to, he said in a statement.
Further, the BJP runs "the government with political motive".
"The budget presented on July 23 is evidence of this. In the recently held parliamentary elections, the people of various states defeated the anti-people BJP. The Budget presented by Union Finance Minister (Nirmala Sitharaman) seems like a vengeful act against the States and people who boycotted the BJP. Instead of preparing a budget for the welfare of all Indians, she has prepared a budget to take revenge against those who voted for the INDIA bloc," he alleged.
The Union BJP government was disregarding Tamil Nadu continuously.
The Centre has held up funds that should have been released as usual for the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyaan, he said and alleged the former is 'adamant' that it will release funds only after agreeing to implement the NEP.
On the announcement that the stamp duty levied by the states will be reduced, he said it was done so without consulting the states. The GST system has already taken away the right of taxation powers away from the states.
"When they have not even disbursed the GST compensation of Rs 20,000 crore to Tamil Nadu, who gave them the authority to alter the tax levying system of the states. The middle-class is suffering without any concession in income tax for the last 10 years. The Union Government is patting their own back for announcing a meagre tax benefit of up to Rs 17,500 per year to individual taxpayers under the NTR (New Tax Regime) when majority can't avail that too," the CM said.
"This is not just a budget taking revenge on Tamil Nadu—it is a budget that takes revenge against entire India! This is a 'save the government budget' of BJP to remain in power. As the voice of the people of Tamil Nadu, in fact, as the voice of all the Indian people, let me say something--You (BJP) are committing mistake after mistake. You will suffer more and more defeats. Just as both houses of the Indian Parliament are in outrage, the hearts of Indian people are also raging against you. The BJP must answer," Stalin, president of the ruling DMK, said.
