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Internationally renowned sitar virtuoso Anoushka Shankar has publicly criticised Air India after her sitar was returned to her in a severely damaged condition following a recent flight. The musician who rarely speaks out on such matters said she was left “devastated” after unpacking her instrument one she travels with across the world and finding cracks and structural damage despite paying an additional handling fee. For someone who has spent more than two decades touring collaborating and performing worldwide this incident came as a shock. She revealed that she had not flown with Air India in years and the experience left her questioning how such extensive damage could occur. What exactly happened with Anoushka’s sitar? In a video shared on Instagram Anoushka explained that she initially assumed the sitar was only out of tune—normal after long travel. But the moment she picked it up to play she realised something was seriously wrong. Deep cracks and breaks ran across the instrument even though it had been stored in a reinforced protective case. Visibly upset she said in the clip “This was my first time flying Air India in a long time. You’re the country this music belongs to. This is the first time anything like this has happened to my instrument in 15 or 17 years.” She further questioned the airline adding “How have you done this? You charge a handling fee and yet this is what has happened?” Her Instagram caption also noted that she was “truly disturbed” and wondered how such damage could happen without “wilful disregard.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by Anoushka Shankar (@anoushkashankarofficial) How did Air India respond? The post immediately attracted attention from fans musicians and creators. As the conversation grew online Air India released a brief response stating that it had started an investigation and was reviewing CCTV footage from Delhi airport. The airline said “We understand its cultural and personal significance and deeply regret the distress this incident may have caused… We are engaging with the guest to address the issue while investigating further to understand where the damage may have occurred.” So far the airline has not issued a detailed public statement. How did the artistic community react? Many well-known names expressed support for Anoushka.Zakir Khan called the situation “extremely heartbreaking” while music composer Vishal Dadlani commented that he was “so sorry” to hear what happened. Several urged Air India to take accountability and ensure better handling of musical instruments going forward. Who is Anoushka Shankar? Anoushka Shankar is one of the world’s most celebrated sitar players known for carrying forward the legacy of her father the legendary Pandit Ravi Shankar while carving out her own distinctive space in global music. A Grammy-nominated composer and performer with a career spanning over two decades she has toured internationally collaborated with leading artists across genres and become a prominent ambassador of Indian classical music on the world stage. Her artistry blends tradition with contemporary expression making her one of the most influential and respected musicians of her generation. What’s next for Anoushka Shankar? The incident comes at a time when Anoushka is riding high professionally. Her recent EP Chapter III: We Return to Light created with Alam Khan and Sarathy Korwar has earned a Grammy nomination for Best Global Music Album at the 2026 awards. With fourteen Grammy nominations and a global fan base she remains one of the most influential voices in contemporary Indian classical music.