Abu Dhabi, UAE: To honor the life and legacy of Mahatma Gandhi, three-time Grammy Award winner Ricky Kej, in collaboration with Nobel Peace Laureate Kailash Satyarthi, will launch a new album titled “Gandhi Hymns of Compassion,” on June 21st – World Music Day and the International Day of Yoga.
Kej shared details of the project during a special dinner hosted by Indiaspora on February 24, 2025, at the Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental, in Abu Dhabi, in the presence of global diaspora leaders.
He disclosed that the album is still in progress and will feature 10 songs, each based on a hymn cherished by Gandhi. Satyarthi has recorded spoken-word passages to accompany these hymns. Kej has also collaborated with over 20 Grammy Award-winning artists worldwide to help with the album. Beyond its musical significance, the album will carry a strong message on mental health.
Calling Satyarthi a “modern Mahatma,” Kej expressed his admiration, saying, “I’ve been a huge fan of Kailash Satyarthi. I think he’s absolutely amazing. He’s an absolute legend. I’ve been following his work, but also trying to incorporate the principles that he lives by into my own life.”
This marks the first public announcement of their collaboration. Kej also recalled their 2024 three-city concert tour, where he performed a 90-minute set while Satyarthi delivered a 30-minute speech. The tour aimed to promote peace, love, tolerance, and social impact, incorporating themes of environmental consciousness.
Reflecting on their shared admiration for Gandhi, Kej said, “One of the topics we constantly discussed during the tour was Mahatma Gandhi, because both of us are strong followers of his ideals of nonviolence and advancing humanity in every possible way.” He also mentioned that he composed a song titled Mahatma, which he performed during the tour.
Kej shared that his visit to Satyarthi’s Bal Ashram Trust further deepened his inspiration about Satyarthi’s work and for this collaboration.
During his address, Satyarthi expressed gratitude for the opportunity, saying, “I am a humble social worker who works with children. I used to write for newspapers and have authored several books, so people started calling me an author. One day, five people decided I should receive a prize, and I became known as a Nobel Laureate. But I never imagined that one day people would call me a star in the music world.”
“I can never sing a song,” he stressed expressing his gratitude to the Mahatma and Kej. He said from June onwards, people can watch him sing with the three-time Grammy Award winner Kej and him sing together in the album that the Mahatma loved.
He humorously admitted that he has never been able to sing, adding, from June onwards, people can watch him sing with Kej in this album that celebrates the Mahatma.
Satyarthi pointed out “Mahatma is not just a man who lived on this earth. He represented the universal values of humanity, nonviolence, peace, love, and compassion. He lived throughout his life, and he has left a massive moral responsibility to all Indians who were born in India or lived in India, and to those who love India.”
Emphasizing the Mahatma’s enduring relevance, Satyarthi stated he is needed more than ever. Even during his lifetime, the world was not as broken, violent, or divided as it is today. His universal values of humanity, nonviolence, peace, love, and compassion remind everyone their moral responsibility.
“So, Gandhi is much more needed. And I’m sure that Ricky’s album will bring back the essence of Gandhi through this album,” he added. The event also saw Indiaspora Founder and Chairman MR Rangaswami introducing Founder and Chairman of Chiratae Ventures, Sudhir Sethi, for supporting the Indiaspora dinner at the Palace Hotel. Rangaswami noted that the three-day summit was fully funded by Indiaspora members. Sethi encouraged Rangaswami to host the next Indiaspora event in India.
At the event, Indiaspora’s Australia Country Head, Jai Patel and founders of the Australian Indian Orchestra, Suraj and Sagar Nagaraj collaborated with the first female Oud & Guitar duo – Nina Boutchakjian and Abir Saidani to pay tribute to ghazal legend Pankaj Udhas.
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