Shakti, a one-of-its kind band best described as an East-West jugalbandi for decades, clinched the Grammy award in the Best Global Music Album category for "This Moment" at the 66th Grammy Awards 2024 held in Los Angeles, United States, on Sunday.

'This Moment', the band's first studio album in more than 45 years, features founder members John McLaughlin on guitar, Ustad Zakir Hussain on tabla, vocalist Shankar Mahadevan, percussionist V Selvaganesh and violinist Ganesh Rajagopalan. Released to critical acclaim in June 2023, featuring eight songs in all, the award for 'This Moment' capped what was India's year at the Grammy awards otherwise dominated by the likes of Taylor Swift, Miley Cyrus, Billie Elish and notable performances by Joni Mitchel and Tracy Chapman among others.

Hussain picked up two other Grammys, one of which was for an instrumental album that also features Rakesh Chaurasia, nephew of legendary flautist Hariprasad Chaurasia.

"Wowwww.. this is truly India's year at the Grammys!!! Wowww.. Rakesh Chaurasia, Shankar Mahadevan, Ganesh Rajagopalan, Selvaganesh Vinayakram and Ustad Zakhir Hussain.. India is truly shining!! Thrilled!!!! 5 Indians win in a single year :-) #GRAMMYs #GRAMMYs2024," two-time Grammy winner Ricky Kej, who attended the awards ceremony, posted on soial media.Shakti,which is a unique blend of Indian classical music and jazz improvisation withcross-cultural vocal embelishments, warded off competition from 'Epifanías' (Susana Baca), 'History' (Bokanté), 'I Told Them...' (Burna Boy) and 'Timeless' (Davido), the oOther nominees in the best global music albumcategory. “This Moment, the new ‘studio’ album is a true labor of love. The music on this recording represents a quantum leap in the musical evolution of Shakti. It represents 50 years of working and playing together beginning in 1973," McLaughlin said in a statement.

"The numerous concerts we have played, the number of times we have been together working on our musical development, have brought us to the point where it has all been brought together here and now in the 21st Century," the statement adds.

Shankar Mahadevan of Shakti poses in the press room with the award for best global music album for "This Moment" during the 66th annual Grammy Awards PTI

Mahadevan, who took the stage alongside Rajagopalan and Selvaganesh, gave a shout-out to McLaughlin and Hussain. While McLaughlin gave the ceremony a miss, Hussain was backstage as he had won other Grammys, reports PTI.

"We miss you John ji. Zakir Hussain, he just had another Grammy today. Thank you boys, God, family, friends and India. We are proud of you, India," said Mahadevan in the speech, dedicating the win to his wife Sangeeta.

Rajagopalan thanked the Recording Academy for the recognition.

Hussain won two more Grammys at the event: one for best global music performance for 'Pashto' and the other for best contemporary instrumental album for 'As We Speak' alongside American banjo player Bela Fleck and American bassist Edgar Meyer, featuring Indian flute player Rakesh Chaurasia, nephew of legendary flautist Hariprasad Chaurasia.

Zakir Hussain accepts the award for Best Global Music Performance for Pashto Reuters

Without love and music we are nothing, said Hussain in his award acceptance speech for "Pashto".

"Thanks to the Academy, thanks to all these great musicians for giving us this beautiful (live) music today. One of our members is missing, Mr Bela Fleck. So from him, Mr Rakesh Chaurasia, and Mr Edgar Meyer, our deepest thanks... Families are here and without them, we are nothing. Without love, music, harmony, we are nothing," the veteran percussionist said.

The best global music performance category had eight nominees, including "Abundance In Millets", a song by Falu and featuring Prime Minister Narendra Modi; "Shadow Forces" by Arooj Aftab, Vijay Iyer, and Shahzad Ismaily, and "Alone" by Burna Boy.

Other nominees in the best contemporary instrumental album segment included: 'On Becoming' by House Of Waters, 'Jazz Hands' by Bob James, 'The Layers' by Julian Lage, and 'All One' by Ben Wendel.

John McLaughlin, a British guitarist of legendary acclaim, both for his solo endevours and his collaborations, most notably as a member of Miles Davis's troupe, formed Shakti in 1973 with Hussain, Indian violin player L Shankar and percussionist T H 'Vikku' Vinayakram (his son, Selvaganesh Vinayakram, has taken over duties on the kanjira) along with mridangam player Ramnad V Raghavan. The band released their first album, 'Shakti with John Mclaughlin', in 1975.

Billed as an "unprecedented transcontinental collaboration", Shakti unites Eastern and Western musicians, and in the process forged the template for what is now called world music, according to the group's official website.

"Their dynamic musical hybrid immediately enthralled audiences around the globe – and inspired generations of musicians, artists, and thinkers from all walks of life to embark on their own cross-cultural odysseys."