Fresh off his multi-city India tour, renowned New-Delhi based sitarist Rishab Rikhiram Sharma had the exclusive privilege of being the first Indian musician to be invited by United Nations to represent India at the prestigious ‘We The Future: Reimagining The Future of Global Mental Health’ summit.
The event brought together global leaders, high-impact philanthropists, next-generation social entrepreneurs, global health scientists and mental health experts to reinforce the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This event also marked the proclamation of the very first ‘Global Mental Health Leadership’ world day which will be celebrated on May 31 every year.
Hosted by Kunal Sood and attended by The First Lady of Canada, Sophie Grégoire Trudeau and Chef Vikas Khanna, the event focused on co-creating a peaceful world where mental health, transformational leadership and global well-being are of utmost importance.
As part of the event, Rishab shared his personal journey with mental health and how he has used his instrument as a means to convey the transformative power of music. During the pandemic, the 25-year-old classical musician, initiated his widely popular ‘Sitar For Mental Health’ series, which has now become a powerful platform for mental health advocacy, demonstrating how the soothing sounds of the sitar can instil healing, reduce stress and foster connections.
Rishab shares, “A historic day at the UN for mental health. I was deeply honored to represent traditional Indian music and advocate for mental health at the proclamation of ‘Global Mental Health Leadership Day’ held at the United Nations. As a youth leader on this expedition, I had the privilege to discuss my initiative: ‘Sitar for Mental Health’ and its promising future, and perform my original composition Tilak Kamod in front of esteemed guests. Reflecting on the past four years of my journey in mental health advocacy, I am filled with a sense of humility, inspiration, and adventure. This day is definitely one of the highlights. Remember mental health is everything.”
On the music front, Rishab will be releasing his ‘Sitar For Mental Health EP’ in August this year.