Sitar maestro Anoushka Shankar shared an update after her sitar was damaged during a flight, confirming that the airline has agreed to compensate her for the repair costs.
Sitarist Anoushka Shankar was “devastated and truly disturbed” after her sitar was damaged during an Air India flight. Taking to Instagram, she posted a video of her severely damaged sitar and expressed her frustration on social media.
A day later, Anoushka updated fans, stating that her sitar is being repaired and that the airline has offered to compensate for the same. She also shared that this is the first time in 15 to 17 years of travelling with her sitar that something like this has happened, making the incident all the more upsetting for her.
Anoushka Shankar’s sitar was damaged in flight
Anoushka shared a video of her broken sitar and wrote, “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.”
How did the airline react?
The airline investigated the cause of the damage and shared a statement via a spokesperson. It read: “We are concerned to learn of a valued guest’s experience with their musical instrument on a recent flight with us. We understand its cultural and personal significance, and deeply regret the distress this incident may have caused.”
“However, we are currently unable to ascertain the cause of the damage and are engaging with the guest to address the issue, while investigating further to understand where the damage may have occurred, as multiple stakeholders and agents are involved in the handling of such items,” the statement added.
What is Anoushka Shankar’s latest update on her sitar?
On December 4, Anoushka shared an update on the repair work on her sitar and said, “First of all, THANK YOU everyone for your commiserations and support after my sitar was damaged on a flight this week. I have an incredible update- which is that it MAY be saved! I’m holding my breath whilst the truly amazing Ajay Rikhiram @rikhiramoriginals works on repairing my precious instrument, and I’m fervently hoping it will be brought back to life in time for my upcoming India Chapters tour.”
“ALSO, thanks to all your comments and shares, @airindia has reached out with apologies, an offer to compensate for the repairs and promises of a policy change after a full investigation into how this happened. Hopefuly they will follow through, as it’s not enough if it’s just me who gets the support. I hope this can mark a change in the way musical instruments and all other precious goods are handled – giving them the care they deserve. I will keep you posted on all fronts! Mainly please keep your fingers crossed that my instrument will be ok!,” her comment read.
Several artists reacted to the incident. Stand-up comedian Zakir Khan and singer Vishal Dadlani described it as “heartbreaking”. Lisa Ray called it “truly distressing”. Singer Papon said, “Genuine care feels so rare these days… it’s as if the very act of caring has faded from our lives! This is so heartbreaking @airindia.”
