Grammys 2026: India fails to win as Anoushka Shankar loses to Bad Bunny, others miss out
The 68th Grammy Awards, held on February 1 in Los Angeles, concluded without a win for Indian nominees Anoushka Shankar, Siddhant Bhatia and Charu Suri, dimming hopes of an Indian triumph at the world’s most prestigious music awards. The Grammys were presented across two ceremonies — the Premiere Ceremony at the Peacock Theater, where most categories were announced, followed by the live primetime telecast featuring marquee awards.
Indo-American jazz composer and pianist Charu Suri earned her first-ever Grammy nomination for Shayan in the Best Contemporary Instrumental Album category. She also received a nomination in the Best Global Music Album category as a producer on Siddhant Bhatia’s Sounds of Kumbha. However, the Best Contemporary Instrumental Album award went to Brightside by ARKAI.
Renowned Indo-jazz fusion band Shakti, featuring Shankar Mahadevan, John McLaughlin and others, entered the race with two nominations for their album Mind Explosion. The album was nominated for Best Global Music Album, while the live track “Sherni’s Dream (Live)” competed in the Best Global Music Performance category. Both categories slipped out of reach for the celebrated ensemble.
Sitar virtuoso Anoushka Shankar also had a strong presence at the 2026 Grammys with two nominations. Her collaborative EP Chapter III: We Return to Light, created with Alam Khan and Sarathi Korwar, was shortlisted for Best Global Music Album, while the track “Daybreak” received a nomination in the Best Global Music Performance category. The Best Global Music Album award was won by Caetano e Bethânia Ao Vivo by Brazilian legends Caetano Veloso and Maria Bethânia, while Bad Bunny took home the Best Global Music Performance trophy for “EoO”.
The night belonged largely to Kendrick Lamar, who led the field with nine nominations and secured three wins. Lady Gaga followed closely, with multiple victories for “Abracadabra”, while top honours also went to producer Cirkut, who won Producer of the Year (Non-Classical), and Jack Antonoff. Bad Bunny, Sabrina Carpenter, Leon Thomas and veteran recording engineer Serban Ghenea were among those with six nominations each.