A friend sent me this link:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Air-India-breaks-sarod--Ustad-Amjad-Alis-heart/articleshow/5446944.cms
What a disaster ! Not sure what' happened there - is it only the skin (easily replaced) or they've cracked the base?
Not sure if musicians have travel insurance with specially insured items. The problem is that you may get your insurance claim honoured, but finding the right person to repair the instrument is difficult.
With Hemen Sen passing away, an era of sarod making has passed. I remember him as a old man sitting in his shop at Rashbehari Avenue - hard to negotiate with. The moment he realised that I lived overseas, he'd mark up the price.
I remember going to his shop to pick up a sarod on a Saturday. He was sitting all by himself at 11am (I was given a time of 10am, but decided to allow an extra hour just in case). He complained about his sons : "Look at them - the old father is here, and no sign of them". Then, a young girl appeared, who first proceeded to bring me someone else's sarod and then had to go back to get the right one. I left after noon - still no sign of his employees/sons.
RIP, Hemen Sen !
