Despite not taking home a Grammy at the 68th Annual Grammy Awards held on February 1st in Los Angeles, Indian musicians Siddhant Bhatia and Charu Suri found the experience to be deeply motivating. Both were nominated in different categories, marking a significant moment for Indian music on the global stage.
Siddhant Bhatia, a New Delhi-based singer, composer, and producer, received a nomination for his album "Sounds of Kumbha" in the Best Global Music Album category. The album is an ambitious project featuring contributions from 50 artists worldwide and a set of music videos. Bhatia aimed to present Indian spiritual sounds as evolving experiences for a global audience. Speaking from Los Angeles, Bhatia expressed his excitement about representing India on the global music stage. He also highlighted the growing global collaborations in Indian music and the increasing recognition of Indian festivals.
Indo-American jazz pianist and composer Charu Suri received a Grammy nomination for her album "Shayan" in the Best Contemporary Instrumental Album category. Suri is known for blending Indian ragas with contemporary jazz. In addition to her nomination for "Shayan," Suri was also recognized as a co-producer on "Sounds of Kumbha". Suri attended the Recording Academy New York Chapter Honors 2026 GRAMMY Awards Nominees celebration in New York on January 22nd.
While neither Bhatia nor Suri secured a win, the nominations themselves have fueled their passion for creating music. The 68th Grammy Awards saw other Indian musicians like Anoushka Shankar also being nominated. Shankar, nominated in the Global Music Album category as well alongside Bhatia, chose to spend the time in India where she is touring. She posted on Instagram about her decision not to attend the ceremony, emphasizing that awards don't matter as much as connecting with people through music.
The winners in the categories where Bhatia and Suri were nominated were "Caetano e Bethania Ao Vivo" by Caetano Veloso and Maria Bethania for Best Global Music Album and Arkai for “Brightside” for Best Contemporary Instrumental Album respectively. Despite missing out on the win, both artists are looking forward. Charu Suri is scheduled to perform a "Raga Jazz Evening" in Bermuda on Valentine's Day, February 14th.