Sitar maestro Ravi Chary brings a free evening of Indo-jazz fusion to Mumbai, honouring the centenary of his father, Pandit Prabhakar Chari
MUMBAI, 16 October 2026 – Sitar maestro Ravi Chary presents “Ravi Chary Crossing,” a free evening of Indo-jazz fusion on Sunday, 18 October 2026, at 8:45 PM at Ravindra Natya Mandir, Prabhadevi. The concert honours the centenary of his father, the late tabla maestro Pandit Prabhakar Chari (1926–2003), and asks the question at its heart: what happens when a raga meets a groove? Presented by Indostage Creation & Production Pvt. Ltd. in association with Ravi Chary’s Swar Sanskruti Music Academy, the evening answers it live.
Ravi Chary will be joined by Ojas Adhiya on tabla, Gino Banks on drums, Sangeet Haldipur on keys, and Sheldon D’Silva on bass guitar. Merlin D’Souza, a pianist, keyboardist, and music director, will appear as a special guest on keyboards.
“Even in his centenary birth year, Pandit Prabhakar Chari’s work and legacy still continue,” said Ravi Chary. “In any music, the basics are very important. If your roots are strong, you can go anywhere.”
“Performing alongside Pandit Ravi Chary is a celebration of my Indian roots and the boundless freedom of jazz, where tradition meets improvisation. My presence on stage is about creating a musical dialogue that transcends boundaries, honouring our heritage while embracing the universal language of music,” said Merlin D’Souza, special guest.
“The groove helps me connect with myself. The freedom that jazz offers allows me to stay open, be completely in the moment and explore new perspectives in my musical expression,” said Ojas Adhiya, tabla.
“The beauty of music to me is that it’s truly limitless. My main motive is to keep the soul of the raga and the musical composition intact,” said Sangeet Haldipur, keyboardist.
“My first experience with ragas blending with jazz-rock grooves goes back to when I was just 9 years old. My father’s group, Sangam, was my introduction to fusion music. This influence helped me come up with grooves that serve the raga compositions Ravi brings to the band,” said Gino Banks, drums.
“In any musical composition, the bassline serves as the foundation, the glue, providing both the rhythmic groove and the harmonic framework. The sitar integrates seamlessly with the bass, completing the sonic spectrum and giving me a foundation for the sitar to freely improvise,” said Sheldon D’Silva, bass guitar.
About Pandit Prabhakar Chari
Pandit Prabhakar Chari (1 November 1926 – 2003) was a noted tabla player, academician and musicologist from Goa. He took the tabla to the remotest parts of the state, promoting concerts that helped establish numerous musical organisations and nurture emerging artists. Many of his students now perform at state, national and international levels. He was honoured with the Silver Jubilee of Independence Felicitation by the President of India (1986), the State Cultural Award, Goa (1983), and the Gan Tapasvini Mogubai Kurdikar Puraskar (1997).
Centenary celebrations
A two-day classical music festival marking the centenary year will be held at Kala Academy, Panaji, Goa, on 24 and 25 October 2026.
About Pt. Ravi Chary
Ravi Chary is the first sitarist to have emerged from the Goan landscape, and a sought-after performing artiste, both as a soloist and in collaboration with musicians from diverse backgrounds. He is the son of the late Pandit Prabhakar Chari, who was his first guru and encouraged him to learn the tabla and harmonium as well as the sitar. He trained with Ustad Abdul Karim Khan in Goa and with Ustad Abdul Halim Jaffer Khan in Mumbai, and continues under Sitar Supremo Ustad Shahid Parvez Khan. His training is largely in the Etawah Gharana.
Ravi has performed with Ustad Allarakha Khan, Gaan Saraswati Kishori Amonkar, Vidwan Vikku Vinayakram, Ustad Zakir Hussain, Sri Umayalpuram Sivaraman, Pandit Suresh Talwalkar, Ustad Sultan Khan, Louiz Banks, Ranjit Barot, Fazal Qureshi, Taufiq Qureshi and Sivamani. His international collaborations include Trilok Gurtu, Salif Keita, Kai Eckhardt, Angélique Kidjo, Ben Watkins, Pacco Sairre, Kudsi Erguner and Robert Miles.
Ravi also performed on the album Saiyaan Bina alongside the late Padma Vibhushan Asha Bhonsle. He is credited with sitar on two tracks of Miles from India (2008), a cross-cultural tribute to Miles Davis produced by Bob Belden: “All Blues” and “Great Expectations (Orange Lady).” The album was nominated for Best Contemporary Jazz Album at the 51st Annual Grammy Awards in 2009.
About Swar Sanskruti Music Academy
Swar Sanskruti Music Academy (SSMA) is a voluntary, non-profit organisation founded in 2013 by sitar virtuoso Pt. Ravi Chary to preserve, nurture and spread Hindustani classical music. Under his artistic guidance, the academy gives young musicians performance opportunities, mentoring and exposure through curated concerts, workshops and lecture-demonstrations. SSMA is a CSR-registered institution holding 12A, 80G and CSR-1 certifications, enabling partnerships with corporates and social organisations in cultural development.
About Indostage Creation & Production Pvt. Ltd.
Indostage Creation & Production Pvt. Ltd. is an entertainment company dedicated to presenting India’s cultural heritage. For over two decades, it has presented India’s artistic excellence to audiences in India and abroad.
Entry is free and open to all. Attendees are asked to register for a pass at indostage.in/pass, download it to their phone, and show it at the venue. Passes are not capped.
For enquiries about passes, contact at 9819994944.
