Tabla artist Sandeep Das's album bags Grammy nod

Das, one of the prominent artistes from India, features in 'Sulvasutra', which is about the creation of the world. The piece was specially written for Das by a commission of Carnegie Hall.

The artist has been working with silk road ensemble and multiple Grammy-winning cellist Yo-Yo Ma for the past ten years. His previous album 'The Rain' was also nominated for Grammy in 2004.

"It is a great honour. I have been playing with Yo-Yo Ma for the past ten years but this time we worked without him. It is definitely heart-warming to get a nomination," Das told PTI.

There are four pieces in the album by different artists including Das. The album faces competition from 'Meeting Of The Spirits', 'Roots - My Life, My Song', 'Tin, Christopher: Calling All Dawns' and 'Vocabularies'.

Das says Yo-Yo Ma was one of the first few to call and congratulate the artists on the nomination. "He is not only the greatest cellist in the world but also one of the greatest human beings I have ever met. He personally called us and congratulated on the nomination," said Das.

This year's nomination list also includes two Indian origin musicians — New York-based businesswoman Chandrika Krishnamurthy Tandon and pianist-composer Vijay Iyer.
While Tandon's Om Namo Narayanaya: Soul Call, featuring Sanskrit chants, has been nominated in the Best Contemporary World Music Album category, Iyer's Historicity has been shortlisted for the Best Jazz Instrumental Album award.