'He tied the sacred thread himself' : Rishab Rikhiram Sharma responds after Anoushka Shankar questions his discipleship under Pandit Ravi Shankar
Zee News
A public disagreement has emerged between sitarist Rishab Rikhiram Sharma and Anoushka Shankar regarding his status as a disciple of her father, the late Pandit Ravi Shankar.
New Delhi: Following recent remarks by Anoushka Shankar denying claims that Rishab Rikhiram Sharma was formally a disciple of her father Pandit Ravi Shankar, the young musician has issued an official statement clarifying his position.
Rishab Rikhiram Sharma, a 26-year-old sitarist, composer and music producer, is known for blending Indian classical music with contemporary styles and presenting them in a youth-friendly format. In several past interviews, he has described himself as the youngest and last disciple of Pandit Ravi Shankar, crediting the maestro’s musical lineage and philosophy for shaping his artistic journey.
The controversy gained attention after Anoushka Shankar addressed the issue in an interview with Humans of Bombay. While praising Rishab’s talent, she clarified what she termed a misunderstanding regarding his guruship.
“I think it’s really wonderful to see the sitar brought into its horizon the way it has,” she said. “Rishab is really talented and clearly speaking to people in a wonderful way. But there is some misunderstanding about his guruship.”
She explained that Rishab had trained under her father’s senior disciple, Parimal Sadaphal, and had only a few informal lessons with Pandit Ravi Shankar.
