Anoushka Shankar clarifies Rishab Rikhiram Sharma is not Ravi Shankar’s disciple

Have you heard that sitarist Rishab Rikhiram Sharma being introduced as the last disciple or a direct student of the late Pandit Ravi Shankar? Anoushka Shankar has now clarified that this information is incorrect.

Anoushka Shankar says there was no formal guru-shishya bond between Pandit Ravi Shankar and Rishab Rikhiram Sharma

Pandit Ravi Shankar became one of the greatest sitarists of the 20th century and took the sitar out of the classical mehfil and put it on the world stage. And Rishab Rikhiram Sharma is one of the rising sitar stars. He performs traditional ragas but also blends them with ambient textures, spoken-word themes, and wellness-focused concepts.

Anoushka Shankar, the sitar maestro's daughter said her father was never Rishab’s guru. She acknowledged that there was some interaction between them, but no formal guru-shishya relationship.

Rishab’s primary training was under Parimal Sadaphal who was a senior disciple of Ravi Shankar. Any time spent with the legendary maestro was limited and informal, and does not qualify as the traditional guru-shishya relationship. But she also made it clear that this clarification was not intended to undermine Rishab’s work.

There is a long-standing association between both the families. Sanjay Rikhiram Sharma, Rishab's father is a well-known sitar maker whose instruments have been used by leading musicians, including members of the Shankar family.

Rishab Rikhiram Sharma performed internationally, collaborated across genres, and built a strong personal brand around mindfulness, mental health, and accessible classical music.

It's important to note that in Hindustani classical music, the term disciple carries specific weight, implying years of formal training under a guru and Anoushka Shankar's statement maintained accuracy around her father's musical lineage. Anoushka Shankar toured six Indian cities between January 30 and February 8, 2026 bringing the full Chapters trilogy to India for the first time.

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