Ricky Kej
Ricky Kej with his three Grammy Awards
Background information
Born	Ram Gyan Kej (1981-08-05)5 August 1981 (age 44)
Occupations	Music Composer, Songwriter, Record Producer
Years active	2000–present
Website	rickykej.com

Ram Gyan "Ricky" Kej (born 5 August 1981) is an Indianmusic composer,environmentalist, a three-timeGrammy Award winner and a four-timeGrammy nominee.^[1] Kej was conferred with aPadma Shri award India's fourth highest civilian award, in 2025 by thePresident of India,Smt Droupadi Murmu for his contributions to the Arts. He has performed at venues including at theUnited Nations headquarters inNew York andGeneva.^[2] In October 2023, Kej was announced as aUN Goodwill Ambassador (UNCCD) at the United Nations General Assembly by then President,Csaba Körösi.^[1][3] He was also awarded theLokmatSur Jyotsna National Music Award 2025 for his contribution to Indian music.^[4][5]

Kej is theGuinness World Record holder for theworld’s largest singing lesson, achieved through the recording of 13,944 tribal children performing theIndian National Anthem. The record-setting initiative was officially recognized byGuinness World Records and stands among the largest mass-participation musical education events involving indigenous children.

Kej was also named aUNCCD Land Ambassador^[6] at the COP14 to raise public awareness about the challenges ofland degradation,desertification anddrought. Kej serves as a "High-Profile Supporter" of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR),^[7] UNESCO - MGIEP Global Ambassador for Kindness,^[8]UNICEF Celebrity Supporter,^[9] and is an ambassador for theEarth Day Network.^[10] In 2020, Kej was named as a GQ Hero 2020 byGQ India magazine^[11] and in 2023, Kej was named as one of GQ India's "Man of the Year".^[12]

Kej is credited with over 3,500 placements for radio and televisionjingles.^[13] He composed the music for the2011 Cricket World Cup opening ceremony, held atDhaka on 17 February 2011.^[14] On 18 July 2016, he was awarded the Excellence and Leadership award as a global humanitarian artist at theUnited Nations Headquarters, New York and performed excerpts fromShanti Samsara live in theUnited Nations General Assembly Hall. Kej concluded his performance at the United Nations General Assembly by saying, "To end, I want to state the obvious ... Climate change is real ... Climate change is human induced. Climate change is affecting us all ... and our actions affect countries on the other side of the world."^[15][16]

Ricky Kej was born inNorth Carolina on 5 August 1981.^[17] Half Punjabi and Marwari by birth,^[18] Kej grew up inNorth Carolina and moved toBangalore,India when he was six years old and has lived there since.^[19][20] He completed his schooling at theBishop Cotton Boys' School, Bangalore and subsequently dentistry from the Oxford Dental College in Bangalore. He did not pursue a career in the field and opted for a career in music instead.^[21] Kej holds twoDoctorate Degrees (Doctor of Letters) from theKalinga Institute of Social Sciences, Bubaneshwar and fromGitam University inVisakhapatnam,India. Kej's life and journey as a musician are now taught to 7th-grade children in India as part of the ICSE syllabus English textbooks. Kej is notably also a professor at theNational Institute of Advanced Studies (at theIndian Institute of Science) and an Honorary Fellow at Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and The Environment (ATREE)^[22].

While attending university he joined a progressive rock band which he says gave him a good foundation and exposure to music.^[18] In an early interview, Kej's mother, Pammi Kej, has opined that her son's artistic genes were inherited from his grandfather Janaki Das, an actor, Olympic cyclist, and freedom fighter.^[23] Kej does not look upon his degree in dentistry as an alternate career option, and notes that there are ups and downs in every occupation and there is no real need for a backup career.^[21] He has revealed that his decision to follow a career in music was not an easy one for his parents to accept.^[20]

Kej started off his career as the keyboardist of Bengaluru-based progressive rock band Angel Dust.^[24] Two years into the band, he moved on to become a full-time composer and set up his own studio, Raveolution, in 2003. He eventually went on to create music for over 3,000 ad jingles andKannada films. Though Kej's work is an amalgamation of multiple genres, he has maintained that the essence of his work retains the aesthetic of his Indian roots, largely based onHindustani classical music and a bit ofKarnataka(Carnatic) music. He has cited PakistaniqawwalNusrat Fateh Ali Khan and British vocalistPeter Gabriel as inspirations to constantly challenge and push his own musical boundaries. Kej is a self-taught musician but studied classical music at around the age of 24 to overcome what he observed as a handicap at the time.^[25]

Kej's 13th studio album,Shanti Orchestra, was released on 9 July 2013.^[26] The album peaked at No. 3 in November 2013 on the ZMR Top 100 Radio Airplay Chart,^[27] and was ranked No. 37 on the ZMR Top 100 Airplay Chart for 2013.^[28] The album was nominated for a 2013 ZMR Music Award^[29] and the track "Forever" from the album was also nominated for a Hollywood Music in Media (HMMA) Award in the same year.^[30]

Kej produced a benefit album,2 Unite All, withPeter Gabriel^[31][32] aimed at urgent humanitarian aid to the Palestinians in Gaza. The album also featuresStewart Copeland, drummer from the English rock band the Police, drummerRick Allen of English rock bandDef Leppard, American rock bandSystem of a Down frontmanSerj Tankian, and Grammy Award-winning opera singerSasha Cooke.^[24][33]

Winds of Samsara,^[34] his 14th studio album and a collaboration with South African flautistWouter Kellerman, was released on 15 July 2014 after being in production for two years.^[24] "The 'Samsara' in the album name has many meanings – the world around us, the world within us, family, ideals, etc.Winds was specifically chosen because of the album's flute-based style."^[35] The album debuted at No. 1 on the US Billboard New Age Albums Chart in August 2014,^[36][37] a first for a person of Indian origin^[20] and stayed in the top 10 for 12 weeks straight. The album also peaked at No. 1 on the Zone Music Reporter Top 100 Radio Airplay Chart in the month of July 2014,^[38] and was ranked No. 3 on the ZMR Top 100 Airplay Chart for 2014.^[39] The album received the Grammy award for Best New Age Album in February 2015.^[40] Kej dedicated the award to non-film music composers in India.^[41]

On 30 November 2015, Kej's albumShanti Samsara – World Music for Environmental Consciousness was launched on 30 November 2015 at the2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference by Indian Prime MinisterNarendra Modi and then French president,Francois Hollande.^[42] The prime minister personally presented French presidentFrançois Hollande with a copy of the CD. In the months since its launch, Kej has traveled widely speaking about conservation and the environment, including a visit to the Republic ofKiribati, where he interviewed and created music with three-term ex-president,Anote Tong.^[43]. A video featuring music from the album was also played for UN Secretary-GeneralBan Ki-moon and the gathering of world leaders.^[44] The album was one of several projects discussed during a meeting Prime Minister Modi had with Kej following his Grammy win.^[45] Kej found inspiration in Modi's concern for the environment and set out to specifically develop a project to express a message of environmental consciousness.^{[citation needed]} When completed, more than 300 actors, artists and musicians from around the world had contributed to the making of the album's 24 tracks and four music videos. These include:

• Indian musiciansVishwa Mohan Bhatt and famed Bollywood actorAmitabh Bachchan^[46]
• American singer-songwriterGary Nicholson
• Stewart Copeland
• Patti Austin

  

• Philip Lawrence from Bruno Mars

• Regular collaboratorWouter Kellerman
• The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
• Christopher Tin
• Darlene Koldenhoven
• Peter Yarrow
• Ladysmith Black Mambazo
• theSoweto Gospel Choir
• the Monks of Sherab Ling
• Canadian vocalistJennifer Gasoi
• the "Singing Nun of Nepal"Ani Choying Drolma
• Chinese zither virtuosoMei Han
• Taiwanese erhu playerLan Tung
• Azeri singer Ilhama Gasimova
• artists and soloists from Vietnam, Korea and Senegal
• the voice talents of Frances Fisher, Rosanna Arquette, Lindsay Wagner and a special message spoken by Japanese Prime MinisterShinzō Abe^[44]

On 23 December 2015, Kej was invited to perform a song fromShanti Samsara in a special arrangement featuring over a hundred students from the Bishop Cotton Boys' School in a special performance for India's PresidentPranab Mukherjee. Also in attendance were many state and national officials and an audience of nearly 13,000 people.^[47]In 2016 "Samsara" fromShanti Samsara received the December 2015 Global Music Awards Gold Medal for World Music – India,^[48] and the International Acoustic Music Awards for Best Open/Acoustic Open Genre^[49] and on 1 March 2016, he was named as a finalist in the 2015 in the World Music category of the John Lennon Songwriting Contest.

In 2018, Kej releasedMy Earth Songs, music for children on the environment and sustainability. This is a set of 27 songs, with each song based on a United NationsSustainable Development Goal aimed to create awareness and inspire the younger generation to make a tangible positive impact in their lives and lives of people around them. Notably, Kej has released these songs in the public domain for completelynon-commercial purposes.^[50] Kej has teamed up withMacmillan Publishers to feature these songs in English language school textbooks from 2019. He has also partnered with UNICEF to spread these songs to children across the world and is working on translating them to several different Indian and global languages.^[50] My Earth Songs was honoured at the UN SDG Action Awards in Bonn, Germany on 2 May 2019 for its outreach and impact.^[51] The UN SDG Action Awards recognize outstanding achievements and innovative efforts to promote action on the Sustainable Development Goals.My Earth Songs has been featured in over seven million school textbooks across India as part of educational material promoting environmental awareness and sustainability among students.^[52]

In June 2021, Kej releasedDivine Tides in collaboration withStewart Copeland who is the founder ofThe Police. Notably, Kej andStewart Copeland recorded this album in its entirety virtually over the course of theCOVID-19 pandemic and only met in person later on. Featuring artists from around the world, Divine Tides garnered rave reviews and eventually won Kej his secondGrammy Award for the Best New Age Album category at the64th Annual Grammy Awards held inLas Vegas in April 2022. This album was critically acclaimed by numerous news agencies such asRolling Stone,Bloomberg,The Sunday Guardian,India Today among others.

In 2023, Ricky Kej won his third Grammy for his album"Divine Tides" at the65th Annual Grammy Awards in theBest Immersive Audio Album category, which took place inLos Angeles in February.^[53]

After winning twoGrammy Awards together, Kej andStewart Copeland teamed up again to launch their albumPolice - Beyond Borders in August 2023. Featuring a reimagination of some of the most iconic songs ofThe Police with symphony orchestra in diverse global languages and traditional musical styles, this album featured global artists such as the frontman ofSystem of a Down -Serj Tankian, Chinese superstarCui Jian,Soweto Gospel Choir and Mzansi Youth Choir from South Africa, Indian singers and composersShankar Mahadevan andSalim-Sulaiman, Berklee Indian Ensemble and many more.

In August 2023, Kej released his rendition of the Indian National Anthem featuring over 100 musicians of theRoyal Philharmonic Orchestra inLondon to commemorateIndia's Independence Day. It was recorded atAbbey Road Studios. This rendition was praised by several leaders of the Indian Government includingPrime Minister Narendra Modi sharing it on theirsocial media pages.^[54] d

In August 2024, Kej released his new albumBreak of Dawn. The album received a nomination at the67th Grammy Awards for "Best New Age, Ambient, or Chant Album".^[55]Break of Dawn is inspired by ancient Indian classical raags and created with a focus on mental health and wellness. The album has been cited by academic institutions including Stanford Global Health and the Stanford School of BioDesign for its potential contribution to addressing the global burden of mental health conditions through music-based interventions. Its therapeutic applications are also being explored through clinical research collaborations in India, positioning the album at the intersection of traditional music, contemporary composition, and health-focused innovation.^[56] The album was released under Vedam Records, a wellness music label launched byUniversal Music Group India in partnership with Kej.^[57]

In July 2025, Kej releasedGandhi - Mantras of Compassion , created in collaboration withNobel Peace Prize laureateKailash Satyarthi,Grammy Award-winning Japanese composerMasa Takumi and internationally acclaimed cellistTina Guo as a musical tribute to the life and philosophy of Mahatma Gandhi. Conceived as a global collaboration, the album features contributions from over 200 musicians across more than 40 countries, and blends ancient Indian mantras, global musical traditions, and contemporary orchestration to reflect Gandhian ideals of nonviolence, peace, tolerance, environmental consciousness, and compassion.^[58]

• In June 2015, Kej was a featured artist and performer at the 11th ZMR Annual Music Awards and Gala Celebration in New Orleans, LA
• In December 2015, Kej gave an exclusive performance for the President of India,Dr. Pranab Mukherjee at the Bishop Cotton Boys' School,Bengaluru
• In July 2016, on the occasion ofPrime Minister Narendra Modi's state visit toSouth Africa, Kej performed for Indian Prime Minister,Narendra Modi and other South African state leaders
• In July 2016, Kej performed at theUnited Nations General Assembly at theUnited Nations Headquarters inNew York
• In May 2017, Kej performed at theUnited Nations General Assembly for a second time on invitation byPeter Thomson, the then-President of theUN General Assembly.
• Kej performed in Langley, Canada, in aid ofUnited Nations Women, to raise awareness on the plight ofchild brides
• In October 2017, Kej performed at the historicVidhana Soudha,Bengaluru with his ensemble of over 200 musicians from eight countries. In attendance were legislators, ministers, bureaucrats, and the president of the island nation ofKiribati,Anote Tong.
• In January 2018, Kej delivered the finale performance at the RoundGlass Music Awards 2018 atTimes Square,New York. The event sawRingo Starr,BT, andRonny Cox being honored.
• In June 2018, Kej performed to thousands of people in front of the historicIndia Gate as a part of theGlobal Environment Day celebrations
• In May 2018, Kej performed 2 concerts at theSimon Fraser University,Surrey, and at the Surrey Fusion Festival.
• In October 2018, Kej performed for the President of India, the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Minister of Science & Technology for the Indian International Science Festival.
• In October 2018, Kej performed a large-scale concert for theChinmaya Mission at theJawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium,Chennai to over 6000 people
• In October 2018, Kej performed for the Queen of Mysore and over 20,000 people at the historicMysore Palace as a part of their annual Dussehra celebrations.
• In October 2018, Kej was invited by theWorld Health Organization (WHO) to perform at the historicPalais Des Nations headquarters of theUnited Nations inGeneva,Switzerland for the first Global Air Pollution Conference.
• In December 2018, Kej performed at the annual Visakha Utsav inAndhra Pradesh on 28 December to over 88,000 people.
• In February 2019, Kej was invited to perform at the Headquarters of theWorld Health Organization on 14 February inGeneva,Switzerland as a part of the launch of their "Make Listening Safe" initiative.
• In July 2019, on the occasion ofKargil Vijay Diwas celebrating 20 years of India's victory overPakistan in theKargil War, Kej performed a concert inLeh to over 10,000 soldiers of theIndian Army.
• In September 2019, Kej performed at the high-levelCOP14 summit inNew Delhi to an audience of world leaders, high-level dignitaries. He was honored with the title ofUNCCD Land Ambassador byIbrahim Thiaw, the Executive Secretary of theUNCCD.
• In September 2019, Kej performed multiple concerts in New York, notably atCentral Park for theWorld Health Organization's Walk the Talk: The Health for All Challenge Campaign.
• In October 2019, Kej performed at the launch of the United Nations Global Campaign on Sustainable Nitrogen Management inColombo,Sri Lanka.
• In December 2019, Kej was the headlining act inVietnam for the Hozo Festival.
• In January 2020, Kej headlined theJaipur Literature Festival and he followed this with a live performance to over 20,000 people atSirsi for Kadambotsava 2020.
• In May 2022, Kej was invited to open theCannes Film Festival with a concert. This was the first time that the Cannes Film Festival opened with a music performance.
• In October 2022, Kej was invited to perform atThe Food and Agriculture Organization of theUnited Nations inRome to celebrateWorld Food Day.
• In November 2022, Kej performed forUNICEF's celebration of "World Children's Day" which was also attended bySachin Tendulkar andAyushmann Khurrana as the regional ambassadors inNew Delhi,India.
• In December 2022, Kej headlined concerts at the "HOZO Festival" inVietnam as well as the annual Serendipity Arts Festival inPanaji,Goa.
• In February 2023, Kej performed at theG20 Summit in Bengaluru. In attendance were the Finance Ministers of all participating nations and several High-level delegates. In April 2023, Kej performed in Bhubaneshwar, India to over 6000 people for the Y20 Summit. In attendance were the Members of Parliament from allG20 Nations. In April 2023, Kej performed in Leh, India for theG20 Summit to celebrate India's G20 Presidency. Ministers from all G20 Nations and several high-level delegates were present
• In March 2023, Kej performed at the HistoricGateway of India inMumbai to over 5000 people for "Mumbai Kaustubh"
• In April 2023, Kej headlined the "Namaste France" festival inParis at theLa Seine Musicale to perform for an exclusive audience. This event celebrated 25 years of strategic partnership between India and France
• In June 2023, Kej performed at theUnited Nations Headquarters inNew York for theUNCCD along with Senegalese singerBaaba Maal and Malian singerInna Modja to launch their Her Land, Her Rights Campaign. Modja is also aGoodwill Amabassador. The performance was to raise the profile of the UNCCD's campaign to increase the ownership of land by women.^[59]
• In July 2023, Kej joined hands with theAmerican India Foundation to perform abenefit concert at the historic Gotham Hall in New York. A record-breaking 3.1 million dollars was raised to support Skilling, Nutrition, Education, and Health to mitigate the effects of COVID-19 in Education, Livelihoods, and Public Health
• In July 2023, Kej performed at the launch of the World Rehabilitation Alliance inGeneva, at the WHO Headquarters.
• In August 2023, Kej performed a sold-out concert at theSiri Fort Auditorium inNew Delhi. This was a concert for Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Mission LiFe' to inspire change and celebrate Mother Nature
• In August 2023, Kej headlined the 'Festival of Nations' inSt.Louis,Missouri. Over 20,000 people were in attendance.
• In August 2023, Kej performed withStewart Copeland at an exclusive concert inNew Delhi
• In September 2023, Kej headlined the 'Ganesh Utsav' inBangalore and performed for over 5000 people
• In September 2023, Kej performed inCentral Park,New York for theWorld Health Organisation's "Walk the Talk" event to promote Health for All.
• In November 2023, Kej headlined the Virasat Festival inDehradun,Uttarakhand, and performed for over 7000 people
• In December 2023, Kej performed at theDubai Opera House withStewart Copeland for theCOP28 Summit. Leaders from several participating nations were in attendance.^[60]
• In December 2023, Kej performed inGeneva at the prestigiousUNHCRNansen Refugee Award Ceremony. Established in 1954, theUNCHR Nansen Refugee Award honors individuals, groups, and organizations who go above and beyond the call of duty to protect refugees, as well as internally displaced and stateless people^[61]
• In December 2023, Kej performed to the backdrop of the historicVictoria Memorial in Kolkata to celebrate theIndian Army's "Vijay Diwas"
• In September 2024, Kej performed in pre antaragani, one of the biggest cultural fests in India, atIIT kanpur.
• In October 2024, Kej took the stage at Falak, the cultural fest ofManipal Institute of Technology, Bengaluru.
• In December 2024, Kej performed atHornbill Festival inNagaland for several thousand people
• In January 2025, Kej performed inIIM Ahmedabad as a headliner for CHAOS IIMA 2025
• In January 2025, Kej headlined Alpen Capital's 21st Global Fusion Festival inDubai
• In March 2025, Kej performed inCartegena,Colombia for theWHO 2nd Global Conference on Air Pollution and Health
• In June 2025, Kej performed at the Asia Society and Museum inNew York

In 2008 Kej received an advertising award at the One Show Awards, followed by a second advertising award at the Adfest Asia Awards in 2009.^[62] In 2010, he was nominated for an award at theCannes Film Festival for his jingle forNike.^[63] He was dubbed an "India Rules Artist" by TV channel VH1 in 2013.^[64] Kej has appeared as a guest judge on many singing reality shows in India. Kej is a trustee and founding member of theMajolly Music Trust. Their main objectives are to raise the standards of music education in India and to set up a pension fund for old and infirm musicians who are no longer able to make a livelihood from musical performances and recordings.^[65] In 2020, Kej was shortlisted as a finalist in two categories at theIndia Australia Business & Community Awards (IABCA).^[66]

In 2018, Kej was named in the "Real Leaders 100 List".^[67] Real Leaders (a signatory to the United Nations) curates this list of leaders who 'Inspire the Future'.^[68] He was the only representative from India. In May 2018, Kej was honoured by theHouse of Commons of Canada for "Outstanding Musical and Humanitarian Achievement".^[69]

In 2020, Ricky collaborated withUNESCO Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Education for Peace and Sustainable Development (MGIEP) to release the song "Shine Your Light". The song was a collaboration between Indian artists and refugee artists who were persecuted for their love of music. The song was performed in four different languages (English, Dari, Farsi, and Pashto) by 24 young refugee musicians living in India, inviting listeners to celebrate humanity, togetherness, and solidarity.

In 2022, on India's 75th Independence Day, Ricky brought together 12 refugees from 4 nationalities to record a rendition of India's national anthem as a tribute to India. In December, he was announced as aUNHCR "Goodwill Ambassador".

At the Asia Initiatives Gala in September 2022, Kej was also awarded with the prestigious "Ban Ki-Moon Award" by former Secretary General ofUnited Nations,Ban Ki-Moon for this advocacy work.

Kej works closely with several wings of theUnited Nations. As a United Nations Goodwill Ambassador (UNCCD), Kej uses his massive celebrity status to raise awareness on issues suchland degradation,desertification anddrought. Notably, he has composed the official "Land Anthem" for the UNCCD and is a passionate advocate for their "Her Land, Her Rights" campaign to champion Gender Equality and Women's Land Rights.^[70] Kej is a "High Profile Supporter of the two-time Nobel Peace-Prize Winning organizationUnited Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNCHR) and is involved in several of their campaign to protectrefugees and other displaced peoples. Kej works closely with theWorld Health Organizations" "Make Listening Safe" initiative that aims to realize a world where people of all ages can enjoy recreational listening without risk to their hearing. Kej also works withUNICEF as a "Celebrity Supporter" to help protect children's rights.^[71]

• Asha Waali Dhoop (2006)
• Mumbai Spirit (2007)
• Cafe Goa (2007)
• Relaxation DAilleurs (2007)
• Doosha Project (2008)
• Hangzhou Lake (2008)
• Indian Zen (2008)
• Vox Del Taire (2009)
• Chillout Bombay II (2010)
• Chillout Lounge Classics (2010)
• Dance the Golden Years (2010)
• Bollywood Remixed (2010)
• Masters of Fusion (2011)
• Best of 2011–12 Fusion (2012)
• Chillout Flute (2012)
• Best of Fusion- Indian Spirit (2012)
• Party Drums (2013)
• Grace - Paul Avgerinos (2015)
• Ayahuasca Dreams - Ciro Hurtado (2015)
• Love Language - Wouter Kellerman (2015)
• Symphonic Soweto - Wouter Kellerman, Soweto Gospel Choir (2017)
• Ila - The Earth Symphony (2020)

• Jingle
• Music award
• New age music
• Film score
• Safe listening

• 1981 births
• Living people
• Musicians from North Carolina
• Musicians from Bengaluru
• Indian male musicians
• Indian record producers
• Indian male film score composers
• Bishop Cotton Boys' School alumni
• Kannada film score composers
• Grammy Award winners
• Jingle composers
• New-age composers
• New-age musicians
• 21st-century Indian male musicians
• Recipients of the Padma Shri in arts

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