A.R. Rahman won the Grammy Award for Best Global Music Album at the 67th Grammy Awards in Los Angeles on Sunday, for his album Almara which fuses Carnatic classical traditions with contemporary electronic production and features collaborations with musicians from 12 countries. The win makes Rahman the first Indian artist to win the prestigious award twice in his career, having previously won two Grammys for the Slumdog Millionaire soundtrack in 2009. Rahman, accepting the award live, dedicated it to his mother and to every young musician in India who dares to dream.
Prime Minister Modi led the congratulations, calling Rahman a priceless jewel in India cultural crown. The win is widely seen as a celebration of India musical diversity and the growing global appetite for Indian classical and fusion music. Almara debuted at Number 1 on the Billboard World Music Charts and has been streamed over 180 million times globally since its release. Rahman will embark on a 30-city world tour to promote the album beginning in February, with dates in India, the US, the UK, Australia, and Southeast Asia.