Grammy nomination for Indian

An Indian has done it again. And no, he is not the legendary tabla maestro, Ustad Zakir Hussain. The man to have made the Grammy nomination list is young tabla player Sandeep Das.

He features as one of the four soloists in the band Silk Route Ensemble's album Off The Map that has received nomination in the category of the Best Classical Crossover. In the nominated offering, Das steers the course of a composition titled Sulva Sutra, a piece that seeks to show how cosmic particles come together in the Big Bang. Off The Map also features accomplished soloists such as the Chinese musicians Wu Tong on the sheng and Wu Man on the pipa, and Spanish musician Christina Pato on the bagpipes.

What are the band's chances of getting the Grammy? "As far as I am concerned, we are in a win-win situation. The album has victory written on it from start to finish," says Das most confidently. This is the second time that Das has received a Grammy nomination, his first being in 2004 when he had made it to the shortlist for the album The Rain along with sitarist Ustad Shujaat Khan and the kemanche player Kayhan Kalhor. "The Rain was nominated, which is a very big and prestigious thing in itself," says Das, adding, "This time, our chances are exceptionally strong." As the countdown to the results begins, he is optimistic. And so are we.

oyee hoyee