Music composer Leslee Lewis and veteran playback singer Hariharan have expressed pride after Prime Minister Narendra Modi presented their iconic album 'Colonial Cousins' — in its vinyl edition — to Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese as a diplomatic gift during Modi's official visit to Australia.

What Leslee Lewis Said

Speaking about the honour, Leslee Lewis said, “I just said, what is this? This is the most amazing piece of music. We just did it because we loved it because your music has become the fabric of Indian culture. Because if your Prime Minister, as a country, is giving it to another country as a gift, it means our culture is giving it to him.”

Lewis's remarks capture the sentiment shared by many who grew up with the album — that its selection as a state gift is not merely a personal milestone, but a recognition of its place in India's cultural identity.

Hariharan on the Album's Timeless Appeal

Hariharan, reflecting on the album's enduring relevance nearly three decades after its release, said, “I mean, for it to be so relevant, even today, after 30 years, you know, that gives you a real boost.”

The Colonial Cousins album, a landmark collaboration between Lewis and Hariharan, fused Indian classical music with Western pop, rock and acoustic influences, crafting a sound that resonated across generations and geographies. Its crossover appeal made it one of the defining records of 1990s Indian music.

The Diplomatic Gift Selection

During his official visit to Australia, Prime Minister Modi presented a curated selection of gifts to PM Albanese celebrating India's cultural legacy, artistic traditions and agricultural excellence. Alongside the vinyl edition of 'Colonial Cousins', the gift package included an Indian Premium Coffee Box showcasing the diversity of coffee cultivated across India's leading coffee-growing regions.

The coffee selection features varieties with distinctive flavour profiles shaped by differences in geography, altitude and processing techniques — including washed, natural and honey methods. The collection is intended to highlight the progress of India's coffee industry, its focus on quality and sustainability, and the contributions of Indian growers, processors and roasters in crafting premium offerings.

Why This Matters

The choice of 'Colonial Cousins' as a diplomatic gift carries layered significance. It signals India's confidence in presenting contemporary popular culture — not just classical heritage — as a marker of national identity on the world stage. Notably, the album's very name, a nod to the shared colonial histories of India and Australia, lends it a particular resonance in this bilateral context.

As India deepens its cultural and strategic ties with Australia, such gestures of soft power reflect a broader diplomatic intent — positioning Indian music, art and agriculture as bridges between the two nations. How this moment translates into wider cultural exchange between the two countries remains to be seen.