Air India Responds After Anoushka Shankar Criticises Airline For Damaging Her Sitar During Travel

Passengers frequently complain about their luggage being damaged during air travel, and musicians often face an even tougher reality when their sensitive instruments are mishandled. From guitars to violins to sitars, artists regularly report their equipment arriving cracked, dented or broken.

One such incident has now come into focus after a “devastated and truly disturbe” Anoushka Shankar revealed that her sitar was damaged on an Air India flight. Following her post, Air India issued a response acknowledging the concern.

Anoushka Shankar shares heartbreaking video after her Sitar arrives damaged on Air India flight

Anoushka Shankar has spoken out with deep distress after discovering significant damage to her sitar following a recent Air India flight. The globally acclaimed musician posted a video on Instagram showing a long, deep crack running across the lower rounded end of her instrument. The moment she realised the extent of the damage, she said, left her shocked and visibly upset.

Anoushka Shankar/Instagram

In the video, Anoushka explained how she first sensed something was wrong when her sitar sounded unusually out of tune. She said,

“First I was just looking at the top of my sitar and felt like it was really out of tune. After I tuned it and picked it up to play, that’s when I realised.”

She then added her disappointment about choosing the airline again after many years, saying,

“This was my first time flying Air India after a long time. You’re the country this music belongs to, and this is the first time anything like this has happened to my instrument in 15 or 17 years. How have you done this? I have special cases. You charge a handling fee and yet you’ve done this.”

Anoushka also expressed how troubling it was for her that an Indian classical instrument, travelling with an Indian airline, was treated with such carelessness. Calling out the airline directly, she wrote,

“I’m devastated and deeply troubled by @airindia’s handling of my sitar. How can such damage occur without negligence?”

She went on to say that the situation felt especially disheartening because she had flown countless times on other airlines  “without a single peg going out of tune,” yet here, “even an Indian instrument isn’t safe with them.”

Her post has since sparked conversations online, prompting a response from Air India.

Have a look at the whole post

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Anoushka Shankar (@anoushkashankarofficial)

Air India issues statement after Anoushka Shankar highlights damage to her Sitar

Air India has responded to Anoushka Shankar’s post about her damaged sitar, confirming that an investigation has been initiated. A spokesperson said,

“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.”

The airline added,

“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.”

Air India’s statement indicates that the matter is being taken seriously, and the investigation is ongoing to determine how the sitar was damaged and to resolve the issue with the musician directly.

Here is how many renowned personalities and netizens reacted

Following Anoushka Shankar’s post, both renowned personalities and netizens quickly reacted, expressing shock and sympathy over the damage to her sitar. Many shared their own experiences with fragile instruments, while others criticised the airline for its handling of valuable and culturally significant items. Have a look at some of the reactions,

The damage to Anoushka Shankar’s sitar comes at a moment when her career is reaching new heights, with her latest project Chapter III: We Return to Light earning several Grammy nods ahead of the 2026 awards. She is also gearing up for a series of concerts across India, starting January 30 in Hyderabad. Despite the setback, fans remain excited to see her perform, hoping the incident won’t overshadow her much-anticipated shows.

Here’s Anoushka sharing latest insights,

 

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A post shared by Anoushka Shankar (@anoushkashankarofficial)

What are your thoughts on such a misconduct on the airlines’ part? Do share via the comments below.