Rishabh Rikhiram Sharma (born September 17, 1998) is an Indian-born, New York-based sitarist, music producer, composer, and mental health advocate. Renowned for his modern approach to Indian classical music, Sharma has built a reputation for combining traditional sounds with contemporary themes. The youngest and last disciple of the legendary sitar maestro Pandit Ravi Shankar is the title most often given him.

Early Life and Musical Roots

Born into the renowned Rikhi Ram family of Delhi, Rishabh inherited a strong lineage and tradition of music and crafting. His family is a household name among those who make musical instruments that are deemed suitable for some of the world's finest sitar players. Rishabh began learning sitar at the age of 10 from his father, Sanjay Rikhiram Sharma.

By 1999, on a very rare opportunity, he was admitted to become one of the few students of Pandit Ravi Shankar, completing a two-year tutelage. Following Shankar’s passing, Rishabh continued his musical education with Pandit Parimal Sadaphal and gained further insight from masters like Ustad Amjad Ali Khan and Ustad Rais Khan. He completed his schooling at Delhi Public School, R.K. Puram, before moving to New York at 17 to study music production and economics at Queens College, City University of New York.

Musical Career and Global Recognition

Rishabh's talent was first discovered in 2011 when he offered a sitar performance that actually impressed the maestro Ravi Shankar. Since then, he has played prestigious concerts, including a solo concert for a live audience of 60,000 and broadcast to more than 500 million viewers.

He has worked with international brands such as HSBC and ALDO and has also appeared on Indian television, NDTV, and Doordarshan, in addition to various reality shows. He is a fusion artist who combines classical sitar with modernity and has hence earned fame as a composer, thanks to compositions like Chanakya-a concept born out of the Indian warrior spirit-and Kautilya, which he directed for Spotify in 2023. He also performed at the Paris Olympic Games Closing Ceremony in 2024 for Indian athletes.

Rishabh maintains an active connection with his worldwide audience by hosting live sessions on Instagram, YouTube, and Clubhouse, where he merges music with meaningful discussions about mental health.

Advocacy for Mental Health

In 2020, Rishabh launched Sitar for Mental Health-a movement American in spirit along with the goal of fostering mental wellness through music therapy. Through this initiative, he offers free therapy sessions, collaborates with mental health professionals, and leads awareness tours across India, the U.S., Canada, and South America.

His Sitar for Mental Health Mixtape features five ragas—Alhaiya Bilawal, Bhairavi, Khamaj, Shankara, and Bihaagananda—each selected to promote mental clarity and calm. He is the first musician to collaborate with the United Nations on global mental health initiatives and has represented India at the "We The Future" mental health summit.

Performance Style and Recognition

Phasing a unique vibe onto his stage presence was none other than an artistic combination built on some Indian elements: mehendi-embellished hands, Kashmir rugs, divine ambience, and, for instance, the backdrop of the Ranakpur Jain Temple.

Rishabh was nominated for Hindustan Times 30 Under 30, 2021, and graced the cover of The Score Magazine in June 2024. Rishabh makes history as the first solo Indian classical musician to be invited to perform at the White House for the Diwali celebration in 2022 under President Joe Biden. He also highlighted the legacy of Ravi Shankar at the Woodstock 50 Reunion.