Ricky Kej wins third Grammy Award, dedicates honour to India
Los Angeles (PTI): Music composer Ricky Kej, based out of Bengaluru, has won his third Grammy Award for the album 'Divine Tides' and dedicated the honour to his home country, India.
The US-born musician shared the award with Stewart Copeland, the drummer of the iconic British rock band The Police, who collaborated with Kej on the album.
At the 65th Annual Grammy Awards, the duo earned the gramophone trophy in the best immersive audio album winner category. They had won a Grammy in the best new age album category for the same album last year.
"Congrats Best Immersive Audio Album winner - 'Divine Tides' Eric Schilling, immersive mix engineer; @copelandmusic, @rickykej & Herbert Waltl, immersive producers (Stewart Copeland & Ricky Kej) #GRAMMYs," announced the Recording Academy, the organisation behind Grammy Awards, on its official Twitter page on Sunday night.
Kej said he was "grateful" for the recognition.
"Just won my 3rd Grammy Award. Extremely grateful, am speechless! I dedicate this Award to India. @copelandmusic. Herbert Waltl Eric Schilling Vanil Veigas Lonnie Park," the composer captioned a series of pictures on his Twitter page.
Other nominees in the category were: Christina Aguilera ('Aguilera'), The Chainsmokers ('Memories... Do Not Open'), Jane Ira Bloom ('Picturing The Invisible- Focus 1'), and Nidarosdomens Jentekor & Trondeheimsolistene ('Tuvahyun - Beatitudes for a Wounded World').
'Divine Tides' is a nine-song album that aims to deliver the message that "each individual life plays a crucial role in maintaining the balance that serves all equally".
Kej took home his first Grammy in the best new age album category for 'Winds of Samsara' back in 2015.
As part of his work with The Police, Copeland has won five Grammys. With Kej as collaborator, this is his second award.
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Telangana CM urges Amit Shah to increase sanctioned strength of IPS officers in state
Hyderabad (PTI): Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy met Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Delhi on Wednesday night and urged him to increase the sanctioned strength of IPS officers to the state in view of its growing administrative and security needs.
The two leaders also discussed the recent surrender of several senior Maoist leaders before the Telangana Police and other issues.
"During the meeting, the two leaders discussed the issue of Maoist surrenders and their rehabilitation. The chief minister informed Shah that significant improvements in policing have taken place in Telangana over the past two years," an official release here said.
Highlighting that 591 Maoists have laid down their arms and joined the mainstream of society during this period, the chief minister said the state government was providing them compensation and rehabilitation assistance as per the rules.
He requested the Union home minister to extend financial support from the central government for development works in the backward regions of the state.
Reddy also urged Shah to increase the sanctioned strength of IPS officers to the state from 83 to 105 in line with the state's growing administrative and security needs, the statement said.
The first cadre review after the formation of Telangana was conducted in 2016, while the next review, due in 2021, was delayed and finally carried out in 2025. Even then, only seven additional IPS officers were allocated to the state, the chief minister informed Shah and requested that the third cadre review be conducted in 2026 as per the schedule.
Reddy explained that Telangana, like the rest of the country, is facing several modern challenges, including cybercrime, drug trafficking, white-collar crimes, and other emerging security threats.
He highlighted the reorganisation of the Hyderabad, Cyberabad, and Malkajgiri Police Commissionerates, the proposed formation of the Future City Commissionerate and the rapidly growing population in Hyderabad to underline the increasing administrative requirements of the state.
