In the summer of 2024, my mother sent me a reel on Instagram. “Tum Hi Dekho na” From the movie “Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna” To his sitar. The song was so melodic that I watched the 90-second reel for 20-25 minutes. This interested me and searched more about this talented musician. While searching for this song on the internet, I was given the artist’s name. Rishab Rikhiram Sharmaa sitar player and the last apprentice of the legendary PT. Rabbi Shankar.
This is how I came to know about Rishabh’s music and his journey into this realm. His music had a quiet influence on me, and as soon as he announced his tour of India, I knew I had to see him alive. Rishabh performed to the sold-out crowds of Indira Gandhi Arena in Delhi, captivating everyone with his charm, talent and soulful music for almost two hours.
From the first note of Tilak Sham, It was clear that this would not be a normal sitar recital. With gentle strokes and stable rhythms, Rishabh created a meditative atmosphere. He gradually unleashed the Raga with grace and depth. I was elegant, the Jod section stretched with caution, his tyanne flowing like a poem. It was the perfect way to open a calm yet commander-based night, rooted in tradition. But before he began his performance, he began the night with a little practice, where one hand wrapped around his heart in a crowd of 14,000 people, the other breathed in his stomach. This was to relax everyone so that they could truly enjoy the music. However, he seemed to have done it to calm himself down before the performance began, and the atmosphere began to get a little more energetic.
(Image provided by @rishabsmusic/instagram)
After a melodic introduction Tilak ShamRishab Rikhiram Sharma looked more relaxed and began to perform on his popular tracks. I came first Shiv Kailashon Ke Vaasi, A powerful composition inspired by the universe’s abode of Lord Shiva. Artists have moved from calm Tilak Sham To the strength of devotion. The slowly burning tunes were spiritually rich, and the performance was lifted into another realm, just as other instruments were added. It wasn’t just a technical glow, but the way he conveyed his dedication through all his picking and pauses. People not only listened to music, they felt it. It was one of those performances that brought tears to many eyes.
meanwhile, Rothlin, The delicate original composition was quiet and inward-looking. The work contained restraint, melancholy, and vulnerability. The silence between the notes spoke as loudly as the notes themselves.
And then the unexpected came: the rendition of the sitar Kal Ho Na Ho. He began his performance by telling the audience to snap their fingers in the rhythm for a while, but no one knew what was coming. However, as soon as he threw the first note, he swept everyone. There is always a risk when you take something symbolic and emotional like this Sonu Nigam Classic and interpret it with a classic instrument. But Rishabh not only pulled it apart, he elevated it. The melody flows beautifully on the sitar, and by the time he reaches the chorus, people have been lost in waves of memory and meaning. It was deeply nostalgic and a clear nod to how many versatile Indian classic instruments exist.
He also paid tribute to his teacher, pt. Rabbi ShankarBy playing one of the most extraordinary songs, Saare Jahaan se Accha, In the sitar. At that moment, Rishab became the bridge between the old and the new, the purists and the popularity.
(Image provided by @rishabsmusic/instagram)
The mood suddenly shifted when he played another track of his popular, Chanakia, It brought about a completely different energy. It was sharp and full of strategy. This is where Rishabh was not restrained, and his storytelling shines through the sitar. Each taan felt like a well thought out discussion in the discussion. The audience was engrossed and applause exploded halfway through. I didn’t usually hear it at classic Indian concerts. But that is the Sharma effect. He instantly makes classical music feel urgent. When he thought the emotional wave had reached its peak, Rishabh elicited the final act of the night –Taandaf. And it was not just a finale, it was a storm. It was pure adrenaline, and the halls vibrated with energy.
Once the show was over, we all felt like we had seen something special. But as a journalist, I needed to know how others felt. So I talked to people and they shared how they felt. For Neety, a Noida resident, the show was “beyond what she expected.” Additionally, she felt that the songs he played were “incredibly calm and therapeutic, and felt like a gentle reset.” Meanwhile, for Samiyak, it was a “emotional roller coaster” performance that brought tears to his eyes. In reality, it was not just a performance, it was a therapy session.
What is being made Rishab Rikhiram Sharma His orders to Sitars are not the only ones that have a very impact. It is the ability to feel classical music vividly, relevant and emotionally directly. For those who doubt whether classical music can move today’s audience, the concert was a clear and intense answer. Rishabh is not the future of Indian classical music. He is that the currentburns brightly with passion, power and precision.
Rishab Rikhiram Sharma is currently on tour through India.
