Air India Responds After Anoushka Shankar Shares Video of Damaged Sitar: “We Are Looking Into It”
The renowned musician shared a video showing a big crack in her sitar after flying with Air India; the airline has since apologized and ordered a detailed investigation
What Happened
Air India issued a statement after Anoushka Shankar uploaded a video revealing a serious crack in her sitar, which she believes happened during her recent journey with the airline. The internationally famous sitarist said she felt disappointed that despite paying a handling fee and using a strong protective case, she found her instrument damaged, adding she was “shocked and heartbroken.”
The airline said it has started an investigation into the incident and is scanning airport CCTV footage to establish when the damage was caused. Air India further regretted the incident and said that it was in touch with Shankar to understand the sequence of events, adding that at different stages, the luggage is managed by various handlers and agencies.
In her video message, Shankar explained that she initially assumed the sitar was slightly out of tune. But when she tried to adjust it, she found a big crack running across the lower portion of the instrument. She said that in almost two decades of flying frequently, she had never experienced such damage to her instrument.
She also pointed out how sad it was that an iconic Indian instrument had been damaged while on board the country’s national carrier. The incident caused an outrage on social media as several artists, among them Zakir Khan, Vishal Dadlani, Lisa Ray and Papon, spoke up in frustration, saying the situation was very distressing.
This isn’t the first time musicians have reported mishandling of classical instruments during air travel. Over the years, artists have raised concerns about the fragile nature of instruments like sitars and sarods, urging airlines to adopt safer practices for transporting such valuable items.
