NewKerala.com

Anoushka Shankar's Sitar Damaged: Why Air India's Handling Shocks the Music World

Grammy-nominated sitar player Anoushka Shankar is heartbroken after Air India damaged her precious instrument during a flight. She shared a video on Instagram showing the damage and voiced her shock, especially since she had special protective cases and paid handling fees. Shankar pointed out the sad irony that an Indian airline would treat a iconic Indian instrument with such disregard. This comes just as she celebrates receiving two new Grammy nominations for her latest musical work.

Key Points: Anoushka Shankar Slams Air India for Damaging Her Sitar

  • Anoushka Shankar discovered severe damage to her sitar after a recent Air India flight
  • She expressed particular disappointment as this was her first time flying the airline in years
  • The incident marks the first major damage to her instrument in over 15 years of touring
  • Shankar highlighted the irony of an Indian airline failing to protect a classical Indian instrument
2 min read

Devastated and truly disturbed: Anoushka Shankar expresses dismay at Air India's handling of her Sitar

Grammy-nominated sitarist Anoushka Shankar expresses devastation after Air India damages her instrument, questioning the airline's handling of Indian cultural heritage.

"Devastated and truly disturbed by @airindia's treatment of my sitar. - Anoushka Shankar"

Los Angeles, December 4

Renowned sitar player Anoushka Shankar expressed her disappointment with Air India after her instrument was damaged during a flight.

Taking to her Instagram, she shared a video detailing the entire damage occured in her instrument, "First, I was just looking at the top of my sitar and I thought it was like really out of tune. And after I tuned it, I picked it up to play and that's when I realised this was my first time flying Air India in a long time. 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. How have you done this? I have special cases. You guys charge a handling fee and yet you've done this," Anoushka said in the video.

She wrote in the caption, "Devastated and truly disturbed by @airindia's treatment of my sitar. How on earth does damage like this happen without willful disregard? It feels especially sad given that I've flown Air India after a long time, and it seems an Indian instrument can't be safe with them- after all the thousand of flights taken on other airlines without even a peg going out of tune."

Anoushka, who performs across multiple genres and styles, classical and contemporary, acoustic and electronic, last month picked up multiple Grammy nominations at the 68th edition of the prestigious awards. Her single 'Daybreak' earned her a nomination for Best Global Music Performance, while her latest album 'Chapter III: We Return To Light' -- a collaboration with Alam Khan and drummer Sarathy Korwar -- secured a nomination for Best Global Music Album.

Reacting to her nominations, Anoushka on Instagram wrote, "Today is a day of contrasts - a horrific migraine AND news of my 12th and 13th Grammy nominations all in one afternoon. I'm beyond grateful, from my horizontal position in this darkened room, to have Chapter III: We Return to Light nominated for Best Global Album and 'Daybreak' up for Best Global Music Performance. To be nominated alongside the incredible @alamsarode and @sarathykorwar, with whom I made this music, makes it all the sweeter."

The winners of the 2026 Grammys will be revealed on Sunday, February 1, at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. CBS will air the award show and stream it live on Paramount+.

- ANI

Share this article:

Reader Comments

R
Rohit P
Very sad to hear this. I've had similar issues with checked baggage on Air India. Their ground handling is notoriously rough. They charge extra fees but the service doesn't improve. Hope she gets proper compensation.
D
David E
As a musician who travels frequently, this is my worst nightmare. Instruments should be treated with the utmost care. Airlines need specific, trained protocols for handling them. Congrats to her on the Grammy noms though! 🎵
A
Aman W
It's ironic, no? The airline that should be the proudest ambassador for Indian culture fails to protect one of its most iconic instruments. This is a PR disaster for them. Time for a complete overhaul of their customer service and baggage handling.
S
Shreya B
While this is truly unfortunate, I have to respectfully say that expecting special care for any checked item, even a sitar, might be optimistic with most airlines today. The system is broken globally. Perhaps carrying it in the cabin is the only safe way, if possible.
K
Karthik V
Feel so bad for her. That sitar has probably traveled the world and survived other airlines, only to be damaged by Air India. Speaks volumes. On a brighter note, all the best for the Grammys! Make India proud 🇮🇳

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

Leave a Comment

Minimum 50 characters 0/50