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Ricky Kej: The Bengaluru Dentist Who Won Three Grammys

He moved to Bengaluru as a child, studied dentistry, chose music instead, and has won three Grammy Awards for albums focused on the environment.

QUICK ANSWER

  • Ricky Kej is a Bengaluru-based composer who grew up in the city, studied at Bishop Cotton Boys' School and qualified as a dentist.
  • He has won three Grammy Awards, for Winds of Samsara (2015) and Divine Tides (2022 and 2023).
  • He received the Padma Shri in 2025, and much of his music focuses on the environment.
Tariq Sallam, founder of The City 24/7 Tariq Sallam October 7, 2026 • 2 min read
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A music studio with a keyboard, mixing desk, monitors and crystal awards, beside a sitar and a tabla, with a large window onto misty forested hills and a waterfall

Ricky Kej is based in Bengaluru.

“Music can make people care about the planet in a way statistics cannot.”

• The idea behind his albums

Ricky Kej is a Bengaluru-based composer and music producer who has won three Grammy Awards, for Winds of Samsara (2015, with Wouter Kellerman) and Divine Tides (2022 and 2023, with Stewart Copeland). Born in the United States in 1981, he moved to Bengaluru as a child, studied at Bishop Cotton Boys' School and qualified as a dentist before turning to music full time. Much of his work focuses on environmental themes. He received the Padma Shri in 2025.

He is one of the most internationally recognised musicians based in the city. This profile keeps to the well-documented record.

Quick Information

A dentist who swapped the drill for a studio in Bengaluru and came back with three Grammys.

Born
August 5, 1981, United States
Grew up in
Bengaluru
School
Bishop Cotton Boys' School
Training
Dentistry
Grammys
Winds of Samsara (2015), Divine Tides (2022 and 2023)
Collaborators
Wouter Kellerman, Stewart Copeland
Themes
Environment and conservation
One memorable fact
He has composed jingles and music for many Indian advertisements

What Grammys Has Ricky Kej Won?

Best New Age Album for Winds of Samsara in 2015, Best New Age Album for Divine Tides in 2022, and Best Immersive Audio Album for Divine Tides in 2023.

What Is Ricky Kej's Connection to Bengaluru?

He grew up in the city, went to school here and has built his career from Bengaluru.

A LESSER-KNOWN FACT

Before his Grammy success he composed thousands of jingles for Indian brands.

Why Does Ricky Kej Belong in People of Bangalore?

THEIR BANGALORE CONNECTION

He grew up and works in Bengaluru, and has become one of the city's best-known musicians internationally.

HOW I PUT THIS TOGETHER

I haven't interviewed Ricky Kej for this piece. It's pieced together from online research: published interviews, news reports, books and official records, cross-checked against each other. If you know Ricky Kej and spot something I've got wrong, tap the WhatsApp icon at the bottom right and tell me, and I'll fix it.

FAQs

How many Grammys has Ricky Kej won?

Three.

Is Ricky Kej from Bengaluru?

He was born in the United States and moved to Bengaluru as a child, where he grew up and is based.

What did Ricky Kej study?

Dentistry.

A Music Maker in Bengaluru?

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Same city, new stories, always.

Tariq Sallam, founder of The City 24/7

Tariq Sallam

FOUNDER, THE CITY 24/7

placeBangalore calendar_monthSince 1991 groupsPeople. Places. Possibilities.

Tariq Sallam is the founder of The City 24/7, a platform dedicated to celebrating everything Bangalore. Having lived in the city since 1991, he has witnessed its remarkable journey from a laid-back Garden City to one of India’s most dynamic and innovative cities.

Passionate about its people, businesses, neighbourhoods, food, culture and hidden gems, Tariq believes every corner of Bangalore has a story worth telling. When he’s not writing or interviewing inspiring Bangaloreans, you’ll find him exploring the city. And through The City 24/7, he invites you to discover Bangalore with him, one story at a time.

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Tariq Sallam, founder of The City 24/7, with the Bengaluru skyline
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