Tenzin Nyidon
DHARAMSHALA, Feb. 2: The globally revered Tibetan spiritual leader His Holiness the Dalai Lama won his first Grammy Award on Sunday at the 68th Annual Grammy Awards, securing the honour in the category Best Audio Book, Narration & Storytelling Recording for his spoken-word album Meditations: The Reflections of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.
The award-winning audiobook features the Dalai Lama’s reflections on compassion, peace, inner wellbeing, and universal responsibility, interwoven with original musical compositions by renowned sarod maestro Ustad Amjad Ali Khan and his sons Amaan Ali Bangash and Ayaan Ali Bangash. The collaborative project also features contributions from a diverse group of international artists, including Andra Day, Maggie Rogers, Tony Succar, Ted Nash, Debi Nova, and Rufus Wainwright. The album was produced by multi-Grammy Award-winning producer Kabir Sehgal.
Reacting to the prestigious international recognition, the 90-year-old Nobel Peace Prize laureate expressed gratitude and humility, emphasising that he did not view the award as a personal achievement. “I receive this recognition with gratitude and humility. I don’t see it as something personal, but as a recognition of our shared universal responsibility,” the Dalai Lama said.
Highlighting the broader message of the work, he added, “I truly believe that peace, compassion, care for our environment, and an understanding of the oneness of humanity are essential for the collective well-being of all eight billion human beings. I’m grateful that this Grammy recognition can help spread these messages more widely.”
At the award ceremony, Rufus Wainwright, who features on the audiobook, accepted the Grammy on behalf of the Dalai Lama. “OK, I am not the Dalai Lama, obviously,” Wainwright joked from the podium. He went on to describe the project as a “privilege,” saying it was an honour to accept the award on behalf of the spiritual leader, “whose wisdom is at the heart of this work.”
The Grammy win, however, also drew sharp criticism from China, which labelled the decision politically motivated. Beijing rejected what it described as the use of the award as a tool against China and accused the Dalai Lama of engaging in political activity under the guise of religion.
Responding to the development, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian reiterated Beijing’s longstanding allegations against the Tibetan leader. “The Dalai Lama is not purely a religious person,” Lin said at a media briefing in Beijing, according to the Economic Times. He further claimed that the Dalai Lama is “a political exile committed to anti-Chinese separatist activity under the disguise of religion,” adding that China “firmly opposes relevant sides using the award as a tool to carry out anti-China activities.”
