Dalai Lama to receive Grammy for ‘Meditations' album in Dharamsala Wednesday
Synopsis
At 90, the Dalai Lama becomes a Grammy laureate in his Dharamsala home — receiving the trophy from sarod maestro Ustad Amjad Ali Khan and his sons for an album that fuses Tibetan reflections with Hindustani classical music. A rare cultural moment for a spiritual leader who has lived in Indian exile since 1959.
Key Takeaways
The Dalai Lama , aged 90 , will be formally presented his Grammy in Dharamsala on Wednesday .
The award is for ‘ Meditations: The Reflections of His Holiness the Dalai Lama ', a collaboration with Ustad Amjad Ali Khan , Amaan Ali Bangash and Ayaan Ali Bangash .
The album won Best Audio Book, Narration, and Storytelling Recording at the Grammys in February.
Rufus Wainwright had accepted the trophy on his behalf at the ceremony.
The Dalai Lama has lived in Indian exile since fleeing Tibet on 17 March 1959 ; India hosts about 1,00,000 Tibetans .
The Dalai Lama, the 90-year-old Tibetan spiritual leader, will be formally presented with his Grammy Award for the album ‘Meditations: The Reflections of His Holiness the Dalai Lama' at his office in Dharamsala on Wednesday, 4 June. Sarod maestro Ustad Amjad Ali Khan, accompanied by his sons Amaan Ali Bangash and Ayaan Ali Bangash, will hand over the trophy at 9:30 am.
About the award-winning album
‘Meditations: The Reflections of His Holiness the Dalai Lama' is a collaboration between the Tibetan spiritual leader and Ustad Amjad Ali Khan's family of Hindustani classical musicians. The record weaves the Dalai Lama's reflections on compassion, peace, mindfulness and the oneness of humanity with the textures of Indian classical music.
The album was honoured in the Best Audio Book, Narration, and Storytelling Recording category at the Grammys held in February, marking the Dalai Lama's first such win.
The Grammy contest in February
The Nobel Peace laureate competed against Milli Vanilli's Fab Morvan, US Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, talk show host Trevor Noah and actress Kathy Garver. Singer-songwriter Rufus Wainwright accepted the award on the Dalai Lama's behalf at the ceremony, which was streamed on YouTube.
Why the collaboration matters
The project reflects a shared conviction that music, wisdom and compassion can foster inner peace and cross-cultural understanding. For Indian classical practitioners, the partnership also extends a centuries-old dialogue between Buddhist philosophy and the subcontinent's musical traditions.
A life in exile, six decades on
The 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, fled the Norbulingka Palace in Tibet on 17 March 1959 after China crushed an uprising, escaping into India after a 14-day journey. He spent about a year in Mussoorie, Uttarakhand, before relocating to Dharamsala in the Kangra Valley.
India is currently home to around 1,00,000 Tibetans and the Tibetan government-in-exile. In his recent book ‘Voice for the Voiceless', the Dalai Lama revisits decades of dealings with Beijing and underlines what he describes as Tibet's unresolved struggle for freedom.
What happens next
Wednesday's handover ceremony is expected to be a brief, ceremonial affair at the Dalai Lama's Dharamsala office, attended by close aides and the visiting musicians. The Grammy adds a fresh global cultural marker to a life that has long bridged spiritual leadership, exile politics and the arts.
Point of View
Such moments increasingly carry the weight of legacy-building, not just artistry.
NationPress
7 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
When and where will the Dalai Lama receive his Grammy Award?
The Grammy will be formally presented to the Dalai Lama at his office in Dharamsala on Wednesday at 9:30 am. Sarod maestro Ustad Amjad Ali Khan, along with his sons Amaan Ali Bangash and Ayaan Ali Bangash, will hand over the trophy.
Which album won the Dalai Lama his first Grammy?
The album ‘Meditations: The Reflections of His Holiness the Dalai Lama' won the Grammy in the Best Audio Book, Narration, and Storytelling Recording category in February. It is a collaboration with Ustad Amjad Ali Khan and his sons, blending the Dalai Lama's reflections with Hindustani classical music.
Who accepted the Grammy on the Dalai Lama's behalf?
Singer-songwriter Rufus Wainwright accepted the award on the Dalai Lama's behalf at the Grammy ceremony, which was streamed on YouTube. The formal handover to the spiritual leader is taking place months later in Dharamsala.
Who were the other nominees in the category?
The Dalai Lama competed against Milli Vanilli's Fab Morvan, US Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, talk show host Trevor Noah and actress Kathy Garver in the Best Audio Book, Narration, and Storytelling Recording category.
How long has the Dalai Lama lived in India?
The 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, fled Tibet on 17 March 1959 after China crushed an uprising and has lived in Indian exile since. He first stayed in Mussoorie before settling in Dharamsala, which today hosts the Tibetan government-in-exile and around 1,00,000 Tibetans.
