Bengaluru: Indian composer Mahesh Mahadev and Singaporean- Indian Singer Dr. Priyadarshini have taken Kannada Song to the global stage, winning the honour at the 12th Annual Josie Music Awards at the Historical Stage of “Grand Ole Opry” in Nashville, Tennessee USA.
The award recognises their song Jai Shivaji Jai Bhavani, a musical tribute to the life & legacy of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in a contemporary music and cinematic storytelling way written, composed and directed by Mahesh Mahadev. The song combines rhythmic steps of dance & high energy vocals by Mahesh Mahadev and Priyadarshini with backing vocals of Siddharth Shandilyasa.
The song is a multilingual production in Kannada, Marathi and Hindi. The Kannada version has now been released. The music video features an appearance by Priyadarshini, Mahesh Mahadev and Film Actor Ganesh Rao Kesarkar, The video song was produced by Shivashakthi Group and presented by PM Audios & Entertainments. It was recorded, mixed and mastered at PRISM Recording Studios, Bengaluru, with graphics and editing by Sunil Mahadev.
The song was released early this year on the occasion of the 396th birth anniversary of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, and was released by former Deputy Chief Minister of Karnataka Dr. C. N. Ashwath Narayan. It was specially screened at the official Shivaji Jayanti celebrations organised by the Government of Karnataka, in the presence of Minister for Kannada and Culture, Shivaraj Tangadagi and other dignitaries.
The Josie Music Awards received more than 101,000 music submissions from artists across the world this year, among which Jai Shivaji Jai Bhavani was selected for recognition. The song was reviewed by a professional panel of industry judges, including accomplished music professionals and Grammy-winning artists with a focus on creativity, originality of the music work, and artistic achievement.
Expressing their gratitude, Mahesh Mahadev and Dr. Priyadarshini said the recognition marks their third International award and first recognition from the Josie Music Awards.
Mahesh Mahadev said, “Jai Shivaji Jai Bhavani is a tribute to our rich cultural history and values. Receiving this award is a great honor and an important milestone in our musical journey. I sincerely appreciate Josie Passantino and Tinamarie Passantino for creating a global platform that gives independent artists the opportunity to share their work with audiences beyond borders.”
Priyadarshini said, “This recognition is meaningful because it gives our cultural stories a place on an international platform. I am grateful to Josie Passantino and Tinamarie Passantino for bringing together artists from diverse languages, cultures and musical traditions. We hope this recognition inspires us to continue using music to connect people with India’s rich heritage.”
Priyadarshini was also nominated for World Artist of the Year, and received two nominations in the Music Video of the Year – Global category in the 2026 Josie awards. In addition, PM Audios and Entertainments was nominated for Record Label of the Year.
A truly historic and proud moment! For the very first time, this prestigious international award has been presented to India and Singapore, recognizing the remarkable collaborative work of artists from both countries.
For more visit: https://www.josiemusicawards.com/2026-official-winners.html
