Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], January 26 : Grammy-winning musician Ricky Kej, whose music is globally acclaimed for its unique blend of sound and social consciousness, was conferred with the prestigious Padma Shri, one of India's highest civilian honours.
The announcement made a day before the 2025 Republic Day celebrations, marks a monumental achievement in Kej's career.
Speaking to ANI, Ricky Kej shared his overwhelming joy at receiving the Padma Shri, and said, "It came as a huge, huge shock to me that I had won the Padma Shri, and I was very thrilled. In the past, I have won three Grammy Awards but every single Grammy Award is about a certain work that I have done, one particular album or one particular song... Whereas the Padma Shri is about my career as a whole. So that is why it's extra special and also because it's an award that has been awarded by my own nation. It feels amazing to win this award."
Kej emphasised how the Padma Shri recognizes his career as a whole, a profound validation from his own country.
"I cannot describe how happy I am to be recognised and to be validated for my entire career by our own government, by our own nation. It feels amazing. I feel that this is the biggest honour that I've ever received in my life," he added.
Kej also expressed his deep gratitude to his parents and thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the inspiration behind his career.
"I am very grateful to my parents... I would also like to thank our Prime Minister Narendra Modi because this career choice that I made of creating music purely on social and environmental causes was seeking inspiration from Prime Minister Modi, and I believe that that is what has made my career," he said.
For the year 2025, the President of India, Droupadi Murmu, approved the conferment of 139 Padma Awards, with Kej among the distinguished Padma Shri awardees.
The prestigious honour follows Kej's three Grammy Awards, including his recent recognition for Divine Tides, a collaboration with Stewart Copeland.
Kej's Grammy-winning works, such as Winds of Samsara (2015) and Divine Tides (2022), have cemented his position as a global icon in the music industry. His latest Grammy nomination for Break of Dawn has made waves.
The Padma Awards, announced each year on the occasion of Republic Day, recognize outstanding contributions in diverse fields, including art, literature, medicine, science, and public service.
The 2025 list of awardees features notable figures such as the late legendary folk singer Sharda Sinha, late singer Pankaj Udhas, actor Anant Nag, and renowned violinist Lakshminarayana Subramaniam.
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