Interview | Rishiraj Kulkarni on music, spirituality, and lessons from Zakir Hussain

Rishiraj Kulkarni’s Khoya Mein tour is more than music; it is a journey of sound, spirituality, and giving back, dedicated to his guru, Zakir Hussain

Rishiraj Kulkarni comes across more as a mystic than a musician. His words are measured, his thoughts seem to stem from a place deeper than mere intellect. His journey, too, has been shaped by some of the most profound human minds.

As a child, he studied at the Sahyadri School, founded by the Krishnamurti Foundation of India, where the teachings of J Krishnamurti — spiritualist, philosopher, and fierce advocate of free thought — left an indirect yet indelible imprint on him. Later, his years at AR Rahman’s KM Music Conservatory exposed him to a composer whose musical genius is deeply intertwined with his spirituality. And finally, his greatest influence was his guru, the late Ustad Zakir Hussain, whose presence itself carried a spiritual weight.

So, during our phone conversation, I ask Rishiraj a long-winding question about what he has learned from these towering figures, expecting an equally reflective response. But his answer is precisely three words:

“To just be.”

Somewhat taken aback, I press further. “But that’s so simple. It is probably difficult for most people to just be. Do you think you have realized how to just be? Does it come naturally to you?”

He pauses before answering, “Well, I don’t know about the future, but at least at the moment, I like to believe that I am just being.”

It becomes clear that for Rishiraj, music is not an end but a means. His pursuit is not virtuosity — it is presence.