Music can be a powerful tool for healing, says sitar player Rishab Rikhiram Sharma, who passionately advocates for the use of raga therapy to support those dealing with mental health issues.
Sharma, a descendant of a family of instrument makers and a disciple of the iconic Pandit Ravi Shankar, began exploring the healing properties of music after grappling with anxiety and depression in the wake of his grandfather’s passing.
“Music and therapy helped me get through it,” he said in an interview with PTI. “I used to host online sessions on Clubhouse and Instagram where we’d connect over music. I would perform and invite others to participate, creating a sense of community. It started modestly, but it just kept growing. Today, there are three million followers on Instagram, and the number keeps rising.”
“I always emphasize that music can be a great way to cope and find healing. Using music therapeutically is actually rooted in ancient traditions. I’m just introducing it to the younger generation and saying, ‘Look at this amazing thing from the past—it might really help you, give it a shot.’ My goal is to make people feel embraced through my music.”
Originally from Delhi and now living in New York, Sharma is currently touring India with his 10-city initiative, Sitar For Mental Health. He recently performed at the Indira Gandhi Arena in the capital.
“Playing in Delhi was an emotional high—this is home. I moved to New York a decade ago, but my heart is still here. Performing in your hometown always carries a special meaning… At one point, I played ‘Saare Jahan Se Achha’ as a tribute to my Guruji (Ravi Shankar), since it’s his composition.”
Known for performing with mehndi-decorated hands, Sharma shared that he applies the henna two days before each concert.
“My hands are always in the spotlight during performances, so I thought—what’s something cool I can do with them? I looked into tattoos, but they’re permanent. I even experimented with a dye called Jaguar Ink. Eventually, I just thought, ‘Why not embrace mehndi?’ I know it’s seen as feminine, but that’s exactly why I chose it—why not challenge that stereotype with something creative?”
Sharma’s music resonates particularly with younger audiences. His rendition of the bhajan Shankar Sankat Harna has surpassed 26 million views on Instagram.
He describes himself as spiritual, though not traditionally religious.
“But that particular bhajan holds a special place in my heart. My mom and my nani (maternal grandmother) used to sing it often. It’s a well-loved song in Chamba, Uttarakhand. We used to visit every summer. I sang it once during a show just because I felt like it—and when we posted the clip online, it just took off.”
Now 26, Sharma credits his father, Sanjay Sharma—a renowned luthier—for sparking his deep affection for the sitar. Pandit Ravi Shankar was one of his father’s most well-known patrons.
Despite growing up surrounded by instruments, Sharma was initially forbidden from touching the sitar due to his parents’ concerns that he might accidentally damage it. Instead, he started with vocal training.
“I ended up gravitating toward the guitar—it had that cool factor. I was into bands like Green Day and practicing bar chords. Around the same time, my dad sent a sitar overseas to a client. It was a custom studio sitar he had made for my Guruji, Pandit Ravi Shankarji. The design became quite popular, and soon everyone wanted one.”