There it happens again!!!! My Sitar has been vandalised once again, this time by our own AirIndia!! Just arrived in New York to perform at the Vedic Heritage Inc and this is how my Sitar has arrived. How can anyone be so ruthless and insensitive? For sure, this has been slit open because there is no way the sitar would break in this fashion. I know many people will come out in support and suggest many things but the simple truth is that airlines and their staff need to be sensitised towards how to handle music instruments.

WHEN DOES THIS STOP??? How can any artist survive if airlines keep breaking their instruments whenever they travel? These days, no one asks me how I am after a journey. They always ask me how my instrument is!!

I had started this petition about 2yrs ago, fighting for the right of artists like me who continue to suffer at the hands of these stupid airlines. Even got a lot of support but eventually, nothing happened since the powers-to-be continue to remain insensitive towards arts and artists. Someone needs to take responsibility for this callousness and something drastic needs to be done so that we artists do not continue to suffer, be it at the hands of AirIndia or any other airlines.

Many people are coming out with different suggestions---use a better box, use carbon fibre Sitars, do this, do that but my simple answer is that we need to sensitise the airline industry about how they need to treat fragile and precious musical instruments and they should be made accountable when they damage it. Unless airlines are made to pay heavily when they break music instruments and are made to take responsibility, such cases will continue to happen. They know that they can hide behind rules and go scot-free. Just one case of an airlines having to pay heavily to the aggrieved musician and all airlines will toe the line and ensure that musical instruments are treated with care and respect and musicians do not suffer anymore.