RIKHIRAM - Key Persons

Manjul Sharma is a MA (Political Science) graduate from Himachal Pradesh University and Visharad in Hindustani Classical Music (Vocals). She is an accomplished light classical, devotional/bhajan, sufi, folk (Himachali, Punjabi, Dogri) and Bollywood songs performer and has number of music albums to her name. She is the sole proprietor of famous business house ‘Rikhi Ram's Music", New Delhi and actively working under this musical instruments manufacturing brand as one of the first women luthiers (Indian classical musical instruments maker) of Indian since 2002. She learned this fine art and craft from her father in law (Late Pandit Bishan Dass Sharma) and her husband (Sanjay Rikhi Ram Sharma) starting as early as in the year 1993. She is specialist in making design patterns of almost every musical instrument, making choice of appropriate wood for them, as well as selecting suitable wood for new innovations along with, picking right gauges of strings and stringing them, to setting and selecting the correct format of structural stability for any particular instrument, synchronizing the chords and setting angle/action of playing strings to achieve uniformly aligned sound with perfect tones when played on them. She is also one of the first women in India, who has commissioned instruments repairs and restoration workshops globally. She is also engages herself in constantly training young apprentices (on the job training sessions) at her own cost and ably converting these young talents to accomplished trained skilled workers of future. Her contribution to this fine art is unparalleled and her endless effort in this field will benefit current and generation next. She has walked strongly and consistently through striving in top quality craftsmanship and workmanship as paralleled to the family geniuses of "Rikhi Ram". She has professionally catered to the maestro Pandit Ravi Shankar, Kishori Amonkar, Ustad Amjad Ali Khan, Pandit Bhajan Sopori, Pandit Jasraj, Pandit Shiv Kumar Sharma, Anoushka Shankar, A. R Rehman, Bombay Jaishree, Sunanda Sharma, Malini Awasthi, Daler Mehndi, Jasbir Jassi and many more. She is a philanthropist and also runs an established NGO named "Sanjay Rikhi Ram Vadya Parampara, Regd. New Delhi, promoting Indian Classical Music and propagating the art of making musical instruments by organizing events, featuring young budding musicians and established maestros of music in a yearly musical concert series. Her popularity as an cultural educationist and promoter has been invited from time to time to judge many talent and fashion shows nationally and internationally. She has received many honours and awards for her outstanding contribution in the field of music as a great performer and finest luthier. Her journey continues with ‘Rikhi Ram's Music' as strong driving force in quality manufacturing, retail, exports and repair of all musical instruments of Indian and western music. Manjul Sharma is the registered owner of "Rikhi Ram" Trade Mark in India since 2003.

Mukul Sharma is the fourth generation of the unbroken lineage of the Rikhi Ram family and born with father Sanjay Rikhi Ram Sharma and mother Manjul Rikhi Ram Sharma in New Delhi. Mukul is BBA graduate from IILM, New Delhi and an upcoming luthier of Rikhi Ram family tradition (Gharana). He is an aspiring sarod player and disciple of the living legend Padma Vibhushan Ustad Amjad Ali Khan. He started his musical journey by learning western Guitar, then learned to play sitar along with hindustani vocal training in his school days. Later, he falls for Sarod and Ustad Saab teaches him with love. He has been learning the family tradition art of making musical instruments since a tender age from his revered father as well as his multi talented mother. He is currently the manager of "Rikhi Ram's Music" and also manages his diversified business of civil constructions for the Government of India. He travels around the globe to demonstrate musical instruments of India and their making techniques. He has proved all his predecessors with his knowledge and sharp mind. He is a great administrator of the production line for ‘Rikhi Ram's Music' along with brand quality control. His depth of knowledge in this fine art, makes him stand apart as a top musical instrument maker of the current generation.

Rishab Sharma, born on September 17th 1998, is the fourth generation of the renowned Rikhi Ram family of luthiers ​started playing the Sitar at the age of 10. Rishab's father, master luthier Sanjay Sharma (Rikhi Ram), was his first Guru. After showing great commitment to his instrument Rishab was introduced first time on stage in the year 2011 by his father. Impressed by his performance Sitar Maestro Pt. Ravi Shankar, blessed him by taking him under his guidance, Rishab became Raviji's youngest disciple. After Pt. Ravi Shankar's unfortunate demise, Rishab continued his Sitar training under Pt. Parimal Sadaphal, who is one of the most senior disciples of Pt. Ravi Shankar. Rishab has learned from great maestros such as Ustad Amjad Ali Khan, Ustad Rais Khan, Pt. Arun Bharatram and more. Rishab incorporates modern music elements into his classical training.

Sanjay Sharma is the third generation of the world famous iconic Indian Classical Musical Instruments maker family from India "Rikhi Ram", acclaimed as luthier "par excellence" by top maestros of the world. He is also termed as the finest Indian/Western Musical Instruments Maker, Designer and Innovator. He is the torch bearer of the unbroken family tradition, to take on the hallowed tradition bequeathed by his grandfather, Late Pandit Rikhi Ram Sharma and his father, Late Pandit Bishan Dass Sharma. Sanjay learnt Tabla (Indian drums) at the age of 7 years from Late Pandit Moti Lal Sharma, Late Pandit Radhey Shyam Sharma, Late Ustad Bandu Khan and Late Ustad Lateef Ahmed Khan. He received training in Hindustani Vocals and Sitar from prominent maestros of India. He has performed for Delhi Doordarshan, AIR, New Delhi, Sangeet Natak Akademi, and many institutions & organizations in India and abroad. Sanjay has custom designed musical instruments for most leading maestros of Indian music globally such as, Late Pandit Ravi Shankar, Late Ustad Vilayat Khan, Late Ustad Ali Akbar Khan, Late Ustad Rais Khan, Ustad Amjad Ali Khan, Pandit Ram Narayan, Late Pandit Gopal Krishan Sharma, Late Pandit Kishan Maharaj, Late Dr, Sharan Rani Backliwal, Pandit Jasraj, Pandit Shiv Kumar Sharma, Ustad Zakir Hussain, Pt Rajan-Sajan Mishra, Pandit Vishwa Mohan Bhatt, Dr. L. Subhramanium, Ustad Shahid Parvez Khan, Pandit Bhajan Sopori to name few of Hindustani Music. Dr. R. Vedavalli, Dr. T.M. Krishna, Shri Ravi Kiran, Bombay Jaishree, Malladi Bros., Sikkil Sisters, Shri Shashank Subhramanium, Flute Raman, Dr T K Murty, Dr. Vikku Vinayakram, specially designed SwarTamboura for great Sir A.R. Rehman for studio recording and his live performances and many others. International musicians such as Harbie Hancock, Bryan Adams, George Brooks and many more from Western Music have performed on his crafted instruments. He is also the founder- President of "Sanjay Rikhi Ram Vadya Parampara (Regd.)", New Delhi (an Institution to promote and propagate ancient and modern instruments of Indian Music). To take this fine tradition globally, he has set up a unit in New York, to provide hands-on customer support internationally by hosting Lec-Dem/repair workshops regularly The journey of the 'Rikhi Ram brand' started with the original founder Late Pandit Rikhi Ram Sharma (born in native village Samoor, District Una, Himachal Pradesh, India) (1900-1961), a great innovator and state of art musical instruments maker for many renowned maestros of Indian classical music since 1920 from original establishment in Anarkali Bazaar, City of Lahore (now in Pakistan). He was an eminent musician (vocalist) and one of the most popular musical instrument makers of that era. His father Pandit Gobind Ram Sharma was also a great musician as well as making musical instruments locally in his native village Samoor, District Una, Himachal Pradesh, India (inhabitant place of his previous 5 generations). Original foundation of this fine art was laid there and Pandit Rikhi Ram initiated his training under the tutelage of his father. Later migrated to Lahore, where he also learnt playing sitar from eminent local musician Janab Abdul Harim Poonchwala. His devotion and dedication perfected his skills in developing the art which enabled him to acquire prominence globally. His success stands recognized by the trust and confidence reposed in him by his mentor Janab Abdul Harim Poonchwale and Janab Ramzan Khan.