Sitarist Anoushka Shankar on Thursday called out unsolicited comments by trolls on her body, reflecting on her motherhood journey, sexual abuse as a child and her struggles with various medical conditions.
“This, here, is a body. In one sense, JUST a body (everyone has one!) and therefore nothing special. In another sense (like EVERY body!) it is also a miracle. When I think of what my body has carried me through I’m filled with awe and gratitude,” the 43-year-old sitarist wrote on Facebook.
“This body has birthed two children, survived child sexual abuse and several dangerous situations with men, healed through four major surgeries, suffered through polycystic ovarian syndrome with heavy period pain and migraines from the age of eleven, made it through addiction, held me through battles with undiagnosed neurodivergence (and all its accompanying confusion, stress and exhaustion), fought and come to terms with an autoimmune disorder, and generally been a complete, badass warrior on my behalf,” she added.
Despite all the battles, Anoushka expressed her love for her body. “I’m keenly aware of what a fight it has been to get here. I haven’t got to this point, after all that, only to accept any banal, pathetic comments (male) strangers feel the need to bring into my orbit,” she said.
“The inherent arrogance that allows one human to think they have the right to pass judgement on someone in this way is astounding. In 2025 we should be so far beyond this kind of idiocy- there are bigger battles to fight, but I just couldn’t accept this,” she further wrote in her note.
Anoushka shared a set of screenshots showing comments on videos of her performances. The comments shamed the sitarist for her choice of outfit, hairstyle and her body.
The Grammy-nominated musician had a perfect reply for her trolls. “For the people in the back: My body is not anyone else’s to comment on. My choices—all of them—are mine to make,” she said.
Besides taking a stand for herself, Anoushka boosted the confidence of other women around the world who become targets of such vulgar comments online. “To anyone else who receives these kinds of comments, either in public or in private, I see you, and I’m with you. It’s not your shame to carry, it’s theirs,” she signed off.
Anoushka bagged two nominations at the 67th Grammy Awards — one for her featured role in Jacob Collier’s song, A Rock Somewhere, and the other for her solo album, Chapter II: How Dark It Is Before Dawn.
Daughter of sitar maestro Pandit Ravi Shankar, Anoushka first gained attention in 2002 when she became the youngest nominee and the first Indian woman to be nominated in the World Music category for her album Live At Carnegie Hall at the Grammy Awards.
Three years later, Anoushka made history by becoming the first Indian-origin musician to perform at the Grammys.
She served as a presenter at the Grammys in 2016 and performed for the second time in 2021. In 2023, Anoushka performed for the third time at the prestigious music awards.
