Sitarist Anoushka Shankar's questioning of Rishabh Rikhiram Sharma's oft-repeated claim to being her father, the late sitar maestro Ravi Shankar's “youngest” or “last disciple”, has become a talking point within the Indian classical music fraternity.
The disagreement has drawn attention because the guru-shishya relationship in Indian classical music carries deep meaning and usually involves years of dedicated training. Here is how the controversy unfolded over time.
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Early Association With The Shankar Family
According to Anoushka Shankar, the two families had known each other for years because Rishabh's father, Sanjay Rikhiram Sharma, was the Shankar family's instrument maker.
This connection meant Rishabh was familiar to the family from a young age. Over time, this association reportedly evolved into a narrative in which Sharma was widely described in interviews and public events as Ravi Shankar's "last" disciple.
2011–2012: Performance Video And Meeting With Ravi Shankar
In interviews, Rishabh has described how his relationship with Ravi Shankar began. He said a video of his early performance reached the maestro. “My father, Sanjay Rikiram, took over my Guruji's sitar work after my grandfather's demise. From my first live concert, a video reached Guruji. He saw that video and called my dad and said, ‘Is this your son you are telling me about?'”
According to Rishabh, Ravi Shankar invited him to play during a meeting. After listening to him, the maestro reportedly told his parents: “You child has a lot of talent, with your permission, I would love to be his guru and teach him.” He also recalled Ravi Shankar telling him, “I don't know how much life I have left, but whatever I have, please take it from me as soon as possible.”
January–March 2012: Ganda Bandhan ritual, The Ravi Shankar Centre Reacts
Rishab maintains that on January 3, 2012, a traditional Ganda Bandhan ceremony took place where Ravi Shankar accepted him as a disciple. However, the Ravi Shankar Institute for Music and Performing Arts later said while an informal string-tying ceremony did occur on that date, it was not a formal Ganda Bandhan ritual. In a statement signed by director Amitavaa Ghosh, the institute said key elements of a formal ceremony were missing, including a priest, prepared ceremonial thread, and formal announcement.
The centre added that Ravi Shankar gave Rishabh only a few lessons between January 3 and March 9, 2012. After that, the maestro returned to the United States due to health issues and did not conduct further training until his death on December 12, 2012. The institute also stated Rishabh's sustained training was mainly under Parimal Sadaphal, one of Ravi Shankar's senior disciples.
2012–2025: The ‘Last Disciple' Narrative
In the years that followed, Rishabh continued performing globally and often spoke about Ravi Shankar's influence in interviews, including one with WION. During this time, he was frequently introduced as the “youngest” or “last disciple” of Ravi Shankar, a description that gradually became widely repeated. Rishabh himself has said that his training continued under senior disciples after Ravi Shankar's death.
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2026: Anoushka Shankar Addresses The Claim
The debate resurfaced in 2026 when Anoushka Shankar spoke about the issue in an interview with Humans of Bombay.
“My father was never his guru,” she said, explaining that Sharma had only a couple of informal lessons with Ravi Shankar. She added: “Rishab is really talented and he is clearly speaking to people in a wonderful way. But there is some misunderstanding about his guruship.” According to Anoushka, Sharma trained mainly under Parimal Sadaphal, not directly under Ravi Shankar.
Despite the disagreement, Anoushka has praised Sharma's abilities, saying he is “super talented and deserves all success with or without that story.” Rishab, meanwhile, continues with his stand, leaving the matter open to differing interpretations.
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