India celebrated a proud moment as the Dalai Lama, now 90, received his first Grammy Award for his spoken-word album Meditations: The Reflections of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. The album won the Best Audio Book, Narration, and Storytelling Recording category at the 68th Annual Grammy Awards, held in Los Angeles on February 1, 2026.
The Dalai Lama collaborated with sarod maestro Amjad Ali Khan and his sons, Amaan Ali Bangash and Ayaan Ali Bangash, on the album, blending spoken word and music to celebrate universal values of peace, compassion, kindness, and hope.
In this category, the other nominees were Kathy Garver for 'Elvis, Rocky & Me: The Carol Connors Story,' Trevor Noah for 'Into The Uncut Grass,' Ketanji Brown Jackson for 'Lovely One: A Memoir,' and Fab Morvan for 'You Know It’s True: The Real Story of Milli Vanilli.'
Reacting to the award, the Dalai Lama said, “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. 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.”
The Dalai Lama — Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th holder of the spiritual title was among the first-time winners at the 68th Grammy Awards, alongside figures like filmmaker Steven Spielberg. Musician Rufus Wainwright accepted the award on his behalf during the ceremony.
