Following a phenomenal response to his Sitar For Mental Health global tour announcement, Rishab Rikhiram Sharma has announced further North America shows due to overwhelming demand. Newly added dates include performances in New Jersey and Vancouver, with the New York and Toronto shows selling out in hours. This expansion comes on the heels of sold-out shows across Europe, cementing Sharma’s growing international fanbase.
As one of the most compelling and culturally relevant voices in music today, Rishab Rikhiram Sharma is a fourth-generation sitarist from the revered Rikhi Ram family of instrument makers, great-grandson of Rikhi Ram Sharma, and the youngest and last protégé of the legendary Ravi Shankar. Born in Delhi and moving to New York aged seventeen to study music, Sharma picked up the sitar at the age of just ten and began performing aged thirteen. He’s been cited as ‘getting Gen -Z excited about the Sitar’ - Vogue India, blending Indian ragas with hip-hop and cinematic scores alongside a mission beyond the stage, which is setting him apart.
During the pandemic, in 2020, Sharma experienced profound grief following the passing of his grandfather. For a time, he left the sitar behind. But after turning to therapy and slowly reconnecting with the instrument, he discovered something powerful: music could heal—not just him, but others too. Shamar began performing live on socials, in between songs, talking about his loss and mental health. “It became this virtual room where everyone came together for each other, to share our grief,” says Sharma. “I started calling these sessions Sitar For Mental Health (SFMH) because I was using my voice—the sitar— to talk about mental health.”
That moment became the foundation for Sitar For Mental Health—an ongoing global concert and conversation series at the intersection of Indian classical music, emotional well-being, and collective healing. Sharma combines live sitar and surbahar, guided breathwork, and ancient raga therapy practices in an immersive two-hour experience that resonates across cultures, generations, and spiritual traditions.
“People think I’m doing something new,” Sharma says. “But I’m actually going back to ancient Indian traditions—because they have real, time-tested healing power.”
His openness about his mental health journey—and how the sitar helped him find his way back—has struck a chord with fans around the world. Rishab creates a space for vulnerability, using his platform not just to perform, but to encourage others to talk about what they’re going through.
Following the success of a 8-city India tour that reached over 75,000 people and made history, Sharma is now selling out shows around the globe.
Sharma’s latest single, The Burning Ghat, a haunting, reverent ode to the eternal cremation flame of Manikarnika Ghat in Varanasi is his most introspective work to date. Blending traditional Indian instruments with electronic textures, the track draws on Sharma’s spiritual journey—from the sacred ghats of India to the fires of Burning Man, where grief and transformation are equally ritualized.
“From the dust storms of Burning Man to the sacred silence of Varanasi’s ghats, my journey has been one of sound and spirit. The Burning Ghat is not just a track—it’s the resonance of a New India, where ancient wisdom meets modern expression. Channelling the teachings of my Guru, Ravi Shankar, and weaving them through the fabric of contemporary music production felt like stepping outside my body and into something far greater. This piece is my offering to the eternal flame of Manikarnika Ghat—a fire that has given salvation to countless souls. I believe this is the most honest and transcendent music I’ve created so far.” Listen here
In an age of noise and distraction, Rishab Sharma stands apart as a true visionary — a rare artist who fuses deep-rooted classical mastery with a fearless sense of emotional honesty. His music doesn’t just entertain; it offers stillness, clarity, and connection. Through delicate ragas, meditative textures, and a mission rooted in healing, Sharma is bringing the ancient power of Indian classical music to new generations seeking solace in a confused and fast-paced world. As both a torchbearer of tradition and a bold voice for mental wellness, he is redefining what it means to be a modern musician — one note at a time.
New single The Burning Ghat Out Now
About Rishab Sharma
At just 26, Rishab Sharma has become one of the most visionary voices in the global classical music landscape. Born in Delhi into the illustrious Rikhi Ram family of instrument makers, Rishab was introduced to the sitar at age ten by his father, Sanjay Sharma. His prodigious talent was recognized by none other than Pt. Ravi Shankar, who took him on as his youngest and final disciple, watch here.
He was most recently awarded one of the most influential young Indians at the GQ India awards, and in 2022 made history as the first sitarist to perform solo at the White House. He has played for audiences of over 60,000 at NRG Stadium in Houston and reached more than 500 million viewers globally.
His dynamic storytelling through the sitar has bridged generations—whether through viral covers of tracks like Tumhi Dekho Naa and Game of Thrones, or in his emotionally rich original compositions.
Through Sitar For Mental Health, Rishab continues his mission to merge art and advocacy—offering cost-free music therapy online, collaborating with mental health experts, and reviving forgotten spiritual lineages through sound.
