Air India responded to Anushka Shankar’s sitar breaking

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Anushka Shankar’s sitar gets damaged in Air India flight

Famous sitar player Anushka Shankar recently raised questions on the service of Air India by sharing a video on Instagram. In the video, he mentioned the deep crack that appeared on the lower circular part of his sitar, which occurred while traveling on an Air India flight. Anushka shared that this is the first time that she experienced such a thing in her 15-17 years of travelling. “I am completely heartbroken to see this loss. I had used a special case and also paid handling fees,” she said.

Anushka Shankar’s frustration

In the video, Anushka said in a pained voice, “Initially I thought the top part of the sitar was damaged, so I tuned it. But when I touched it, there was a crack at the bottom. The airline of the country to which this music belongs, broke it.” He said that he has taken flights thousands of times, but this has never happened before.

In the caption, he wrote, “Extremely distressed by the behavior of Air India. How can such damage be caused intentionally? This Indian instrument does not seem safe with them.” Although he did not name the flights he mentioned, the video spread quickly on social media.

Anushka’s sitar is not only expensive but also a symbol of her father’s legacy. Recently, he was nominated for the Grammy Awards 2026 for ‘Chapter III: We Return to Light’ and ‘Day Break’. He said that this loss is having a deep impact on his music career.

Musician Ricky Cage commented, “It is wrong to associate Air India as a symbol of India. This airline under the Tata group is damaging the country’s image.”

Air India issued a statement saying, “We have learned of the loss of your musical instrument. We understand its cultural and personal significance and deeply regret the distress caused by this incident. We have initiated an investigation, including reviewing CCTV footage at Delhi Airport.” The airline has also assured to contact Anushka.