VMPL
Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], December 15: India’s musical landscape has taken a significant leap onto the global stage as composer-producer Raghav Mehta, a key creative force behind the landmark cultural music project Sounds of Kumbha, is associated with the album’s recognition in the Best Global Music Album category at the 68th GRAMMY Awards 2026, a monumental cultural music project he had created for Mahakumbha 2025.
The nomination places India’s spiritual sonic heritage in the worldwide spotlight and marks a major moment for contemporary Indian music production.
Raghav, whose work cuts across cinema, advertising, and global collaborations, has been closely associated with some of India’s top film studios, including Dharma Productions and Yash Raj Films. He also shapes sonic identities for global brands such as Google, Amazon, Ikea, Kellogg’s, and Bosch through campaigns with Ogilvy, BBH, Publicis, and Saatchi & Saatchi and many others. His craft has previously been recognized with a Webby Award for Best Original Music, described by The New York Times as “the Internet’s highest honour,” where the jury acknowledged the ingenuity and creative standard of his work.
The Grammy-nominated album Sounds of Kumbha, led artistically by Siddhant Bhatia with key production by Raghav, has emerged as one of India’s most ambitious music collaborations, bringing together field recordings from the Mahakumbha with ancient chants, contemporary world music arrangements and immersive binaural soundscapes. Enabled by the Government of Uttar Pradesh in partnership with Network18, HistoryTV18 and Universal Music Group, the project features more than fifty global artists, including Grammy winners, nominees and notable Indian classical and contemporary musicians. Having contributors such as Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, Kanika Kapoor, Aditya Gadhvi, Raja Kumari and several international instrumentalists, the album was aptly described by many as a “global spiritual memoir” of one of humanity’s largest gatherings. Observers say this nomination also places the effort as a landmark example of India’s cultural diplomacy and soft power. The project’s visibility has also prompted interest from collaborators across both Indian and international music circles, particularly in contexts involving original songs and scoring work, adding a quiet but meaningful expansion to the creative possibilities ahead.
Added to this, recognition by the Recording Academy will now create new avenues for international touring showcases, global brand partnerships, and experiential cultural programming related to the album. The nomination is being viewed as a breakthrough moment for young Indian producers working at the intersection of tradition and global sound design. With the attention building around Sounds of Kumbha, Raghav’s role as key producer on the project placed him firmly among the emerging creative voices of India whose work resonated both nationally and internationally. His rise constitutes a part of the broader shift in Indian music, where cinematic craft, cultural storytelling, and modern technology come together to create a fresh global soundscape. The Grammy nod not only celebrates a landmark cultural production but also signals a growing international appetite for contemporary Indian music rooted in heritage yet produced with a modern sensibility.
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