Rishab Rikhiram Sharma’s Sitar For Mental Health India Tour 2026 Hits Rs 50 Crore, Draws 1 Lakh Fans

After a successful international run across North America, Europe, the Middle East, Southeast Asia and the United Kingdom, sitarist Rishab Rikhiram Sharma concluded his Sitar for Mental Health India Tour 2026 with a grand finale in New Delhi, marking a significant moment for India’s evolving live music landscape.

Spanning 10 cities including Bengaluru, Mumbai, Pune, Hyderabad and Kolkata, the tour recorded over Rs 50 crore in revenue and drew more than one lakh attendees, setting a new benchmark for large-scale spiritual and neo-classical live experiences in the country. The scale of response signals a growing mainstream appetite for wellness-driven music formats rooted in Indian classical traditions.

Presented by Kotak Mahindra Bank Solitaire and produced by Team Innovation in association with District by Zomato, the tour positioned itself as a cultural movement blending music, mindfulness and immersive storytelling.

Organisers highlighted that the tour’s success reflects a broader shift in India’s concert economy, with formats centred on sound healing, raga therapy and mantra-led experiences seeing rising traction,particularly among Gen Z audiences.

“This tour was about reshaping perception,” said Mohit Bijlani, Co-Founder, Team Innovation, noting that the intent was to demonstrate the large-scale appeal of neo-classical and spiritual concerts when presented in a contemporary format. Co-Founder Siddhesh Kudtarkar added that the tour underscored the emergence of a new category of live experiences where mental well-being and spirituality take centre stage.

The tour also drew a high-profile audience across cities, including figures such as Deepika Padukone, Tara Sutaria, Mrunal Thakur and Kumar Mangalam Birla, reflecting its cross-industry cultural pull.

Among its standout moments were the unveiling of SITARA, a next-generation electric sitar developed by Sanjay Rikhi Ram, the illumination of Mumbai’s sea link to mark the tour’s success, and a bespoke diamond-encrusted portrait created by artist Vipool Jepiwala.

Musically, the tour blended tradition with modernity through reinterpretations of classics like Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan’s Man Atkeya Beparwah De Naal, Rabindranath Tagore’s Ekla Cholo Re, and Asha Bhosle’s Abhi Na Jao Chhod Kar, alongside devotional compositions.

Sustainability was a key focus at the Delhi finale, which avoided fireworks and introduced xylo bands in a classical setting to reduce environmental impact.

With its strong commercial performance, cultural reach and experiential depth, the tour,led by a disciple of Ravi Shankar—has redefined how Indian classical music can be experienced today, positioning it as a large-scale, purpose-driven live entertainment format.