&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "Rishab Rikhiram Sharma to debut India’s first next-gen LED-powered electric sitar; check tour dates")
Rishab Rikhiram Sharma, neo-classical musician and sitarist, is all set to unveil India’s first LED-enhanced electric sitar during the India leg of his upcoming Sitar for Mental Health Tour 2026. The instrument, titled SITARA - The Next-Generation Electric Sitar, will make its public debut as Sharma performs across 10 Indian cities between March and April.
Evolution of sitar
The pioneering instrument has been built by master luthier Sanjay Sharma, Rishab’s father, beginning a new chapter in the evolution of the sitar within contemporary music.
Designed as a modern reinterpretation of the classical sitar, SITARA blends traditional tonal qualities with advanced sound engineering, portability, and stage lighting technology.
The instrument builds upon earlier experimental models created by the Sharma family’s instrument-making house, Rikhi Ram’s Music, including the Rik-E-Sitar and the Studio Sitar.
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Sanjay Sharma on SITARA
Explaining the vision behind the instrument, Sanjay Sharma said the goal was to enable sitarists to perform in contemporary musical environments. "SITARA was created to give sitarists the ability to step into contemporary musical spaces where the electric guitar is often used," he said. "The idea was to enable sitar players to perform modern arrangements especially in Bollywood, fusion and world music, without needing to learn another instrument. While the acoustic sitar remains the soul of classical music, this instrument opens exciting possibilities for crossover and global performance."
Unlike the traditional sitar, which is typically played while seated, the new instrument is lightweight and allows performers to play while standing.
"We wanted to design something practical for today’s performers," Sharma explains. "The instrument is compact and travel-friendly, with a collapsible hand-rest frame and a custom-built active pickup system with volume and tone controls that can run through amplifiers and processors. At the same time, when played clean through an amplifier, it still retains the tonal character of a traditional sitar."
More about SITARA
Another interesting element is the integrated LED interface. "The LED interface adds a visual dimension to the music," Sanjay Sharma said. "The lighting adapts to the mood and theme of each performance, blending sound and visuals to create an immersive experience for audiences."
Sitar for Mental Health Tour 2026
After successful performances across North America, Europe, the Middle East, and the United Kingdom, Rishab Rikhiram Sharma will bring his Sitar for Mental Health Tour 2026 to India. The tour will cover 10 cities, including Bengaluru, Mumbai, Pune, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Chennai, Ahmedabad, Chandigarh, Kolkata, and New Delhi.
Also Read: Interview: Rishab Rikhiram Sharma on mentor Pandit Ravi Shankar and playing sitar for mental health
Tour dates
March 15, 2026 - Bengaluru
March 20, 2026 - Mumbai
March 22, 2026 - Pune
March 27, 2026 - Hyderabad
March 29, 2026 - Jaipur
April 3, 2026 - Chennai
April 5, 2026 - Ahmedabad
April 10, 2026 - Chandigarh
April 12, 2026 - Kolkata
April 19, 2026 - New Delhi
