Dalai Lama earns first-ever Grammy nomination for spoken-word album on compassion, peace

CHANDIGARH: Tibetan spiritual leader and Nobel laureate the 14th Dalai Lama has received his first-ever Grammy nomination for his spoken-word album Meditations: The Reflections of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. The work has been shortlisted in the Best Audio Book, Narration and Storytelling Recording category for the 68th Grammy Awards, to be held on February 1, 2026, in Los Angeles. The album features the 90-year-old Dalai Lamas reflections on compassion, peace and inner well-being, interwoven with original music by sarod maestro Amjad Ali Khan and his sons Amaan Ali Bangash and Ayaan Ali Bangash. Produced by multi-Grammy winner Kabir Sehgal, the project includes international collaborations with artists such as Andra Day, Maggie Rogers, Tony Succar, Ted Nash, Debi Nova and Rufus Wainwright. The nomination marks a significant cultural moment, underscoring the enduring global resonance of the Dalai Lamas message at a time of deepening global conflict and uncertainty. Other prominent contenders in the category include Kathy Carver (Elvis, Rocky & Me: The Carol Connors Story), Trevor Noah (Into the Uncut Grass), US Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson (Lovely One: A Memoir) and Fab Morvan (You Know Its True: The Real Story of Milli Vanilli). In a Facebook post, Amjad Ali Khan congratulated the Dalai Lama, describing the collaboration as close to our hearts and a listening experience that invites reflection, stillness and compassion. Calling the experience a profound privilege, he said the team hoped the nomination would highlight the timeless need for compassion in our world. The Dalai Lama has received numerous honours over the decades, including the 1989 Nobel Peace Prize, the 2006 US Congressional Gold Medal, the 2012 Templeton Prize, the 2015 Liberty Medal, the 2019 Pacem in Terris Peace and Freedom Award, and the 2025 Gold Mercury Award for Peace and Sustainability.