Anoushka Shankar, the globally renowned sitarist and daughter of the legendary Pandit Ravi Shankar, recently expressed her distress after her sitar was severely damaged during an Air India flight. The multiple Grammy-nominated musician took to Instagram on Wednesday, December 3, 2025, to share her frustrating experience with her followers.
In her post, Shankar shared a video of the damaged instrument, revealing a deep crack across the lower end. She explained that she first noticed something was amiss when her sitar sounded unusually out of tune. Upon closer inspection, she discovered the extent of the damage. "This was my first time flying Air India in a long time," she said in the video. "You're the country this music belongs to, and this is the first time anything like this has happened to my instrument in 15 or 17 years". She also questioned how the damage could have occurred despite her using specialized protective cases and paying a handling fee. "How have you done this? I have special cases. You guys charge a handling fee, and yet you've done this?" she asked. Shankar captioned her post expressing her devastation and concern over the airline's handling of her instrument.
Fellow artists and fans quickly rallied behind Shankar, echoing her shock and dismay. Comedian Zakir Khan and composer Vishal Dadlani both described the incident as "heartbreaking". Singer Papon expressed his disappointment, lamenting the apparent lack of care. Actor Lisa Ray called the incident "truly distressing". Many urged Air India to take responsibility and address the situation immediately.
Air India responded to Shankar's post with a statement on Thursday, December 4, 2025, expressing their concern and regret for the distress caused. The airline stated that they had initiated an investigation, including a review of CCTV footage at Delhi airport, to determine the cause of the damage. "We understand its cultural and personal significance and deeply regret the distress this incident may have caused," the spokesperson said.
In a positive update shared on December 4, 2025, Shankar informed her fans that Air India had reached out with apologies and offered to compensate for the repairs. More importantly, she revealed that there was hope for her sitar to be saved. She is working with Ajay Rikhiram, hoping the instrument can be brought back to life in time for her upcoming India Chapters tour, which is scheduled to begin on January 30, 2026, in Hyderabad. Shankar expressed her gratitude for the outpouring of support she received.
The incident occurred shortly after Shankar received multiple Grammy nominations for her new album, "Chapter III: Return to Light". The album, created in collaboration with sarod maestro Alam Khan and percussionist Sarathy Korwar, blends Indian classical music with modern soundscapes.
