Rishab Rikhiram Sharma

Born into Delhi's famed Rikhi Ram family of luthiers, Rishab Rikhiram Sharma picked up the sitar at ten, earned a place as the youngest disciple of the legendary Pandit Ravi Shankar at just eleven. and has since become one of his generation's most distinctive talents with millions of adoring fans. The first musician to be appointed a UN Advocate for Mental Health, he brings his global Sitar for Mental Health tour to Sydney Festival coming off sold-out runs in North America, Europe, the Middle East, Southeast Asia and the United Kingdom.

Rooted in the ancient tradition of Raag Chikitsa, Sharma’s performances are far from conventional concerts: this live fusion of music and ancient practice creates immersive experiences where melody and meditation become one, a collective and joyous deep breath. This is the sitar as you've never heard it before, dynamic and fun; Sharma performs everything from traditional ragas to his own singular spin on Western pop cultural touchstones like the Game of Thrones and Harry Potter themes.

Indian classical mastery and a pop sensibility meet a mission to bring healing through music. With his distinctive style and charm, not to mention his souped-up electric sitar with 640 LED bulbs that looks, in his words, “like a lightsaber”, Sharma lights up the stage and the heart in more ways than one.