Two Grammy awards for A.R. Rahman

Ace music composer A.R. Rahman scooped two awards at the 52nd Annual Grammy Awards ceremony in Los Angeles on Jan 31 night (pictured left), but Ustad Amjad Ali Khan and Ustad Zakir Hussain, who were also nominated, could not manage to win the golden gramophones.

Rahman was honoured for his compositions in Danny Boyle's rags-to-riches film "Slumdog Millionaire", getting the awards for best compilation soundtrack for a motion picture and "Jai ho" being the best motion picture song.

Rahman shares the Grammy with veteran lyricist Gulzar and Tanvi Shah who wrote the Spanish lyrics for it.

Rahman, Gulzar and Shah made the Indian presence felt at the 52nd edition of the Annual Grammy Awards held at the Staples Centre.

"Jai ho", that has won various international awards including the Oscars last year, is from Danny Boyle's rags-to-riches film "Slumdog millionaire". The song was sung by Sukhvinder Singh, Mahalaxmi Iyer, Vijay Prakash along with Rahman and Shah.

Sarod maestro Ustad Amjad Ali Khan, who was nominated in the best traditional world music album category for his album "Ancient Sounds", lost out to "Douga Mansa" by African Kora player Mamadou Diabate.

Tabla player Ustad Zakir Hussain, who was nominated in the best classical crossover album category for his album "The Melody of Rhythm" that features works by Leonard Slatkin, Bela Fleck, Hussain and Edgar Meyer (Detroit Symphony Orchestra), also did not win. He had won a Grammy last year for his collaborative album "Global Drum Project".

The best classical crossover album award went to "Yo-Yo Ma & Friends: Songs Of Joy And Peace".

Indo-Asian News Service