Entertainment Desk

Tabla Maestro Zakir Hussain has passed away at the age of 73 in San Francisco from idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, an official statement from his family confirmed on Monday.

The legendary Tabla virtuoso leaves behind a legacy that is cherished and respected by countless music lovers across the world, with an influence that will be reflect in generations to come.

Hussain is survived by his wife, Antonia Minnecola, his daughters Anisa Qureshi and her family, Isabella Qureshi and her family, his brothers Taufiq and Fazal Qureshi, and his sister Khurshid Aulia, reports Hindustan Times.

Earlier on Sunday, Hussain’s friend and flautist Rakesh Chaurasia had said that the Tabla legend was admitted to the San Francisco hospital’s ICU with heart-related problems.

However, early reports surfaced on Sunday saying that the 73-year-old musician had passed away. But these claims were dismissed by his publicist, who confirmed to PTI that he was being treated at the hospital and “has not passed”.

At the time his family sought prayers and blessings from all for Hussain’s speedy recovery. Other details about his condition were not revealed earlier.

In the official statement on Hussain’s passing on Monday, his family said, “His prolific work as a teacher, mentor and educator has left an indelible mark on countless musicians. He hoped to inspire the next generation to go further. He leaves behind an unparalleled legacy as a cultural ambassador and one of the greatest musicians of all time.”

“The family requests privacy at this time,” it added.

Zakir Hussain was born on March 9, 1951 in Mumbai’s Mahim to legendary tabla master Ustad Allarakha, who was Ravi Shankar’s longtime accompanist. Hussain had an inclination towards playing tabla at a very young age.

He also learned to play the mridang (classical percussion instrument) from his father at the age of 3 and began performing at concerts by the age of 12.

Earlier, Hussain had said that when he was a baby, his father used to recite tabla rhythms for prayers into his ears.

“The tradition was that the father is supposed to recite a prayer in the baby’s ear, welcoming the baby and putting some good words. So he takes me in his arms, puts his lips to my ear and recites the tabla rhythms into my ears. My mother was livid. She said, what are you doing? You’re supposed to say, you know, prayers, not rhythms. And he said, but these are my prayers. This is how I pray. He said, I am the worshipper of Goddess Saraswati and Lord Ganesh. This was a devout Muslim talking. He said this is the knowledge he got from his teachers and wanted to pass it on to his son,” Hussain was quoted by PTI.

A child prodigy, Hussain collaborated with virtually all of India’s legend performers, including Ravi Shankar, Ali Akbar Khan and Shivkumar Sharma.

Additionally, his groundbreaking in West music with artists like The Beatles, Yo-Yo Ma, Charles Llyod, Béla Fleck, Edgar Meyer, Mickey Hart, George Harrison and John McLaughlin placed Indian classical music on the global map, marking his status as a global cultural ambassador.

Hussain’s contribution to music have been considered to be uniquely transformative. “His unique mastery of rhythm allowed him to cross borders freely and create authentic connection between different genres of music.”

He has been a part of several historic collaborations, inclyding Shakti (he founded it with John McLaughlin and L Shankar), Remember Shakti, Making Music, The Diga Rhythm Band, Planet Drum and Global Drum Project with Mickey Hart, Tabla Beat Science, and Sangam with Charles Llyod and Eric Harland.

In addition to the already long list of iconic partnerships, Hussain has also worked with George Harrison, Joe Henderson, Van Morrison, Airto Moreira, Pharoah Sanders, Billy Cobham, Alonzo King, Mark Morris, Rennie Harris and the Kodo drummers.

India bestowed the honour of Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and the Padma Shri on Zakir Hussain. He has also been a recipient of the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award, and a lifetime honour award of Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship.

Over his magnificent career, he also won a number of other accolades, including two Grammy Awards with Mickey Hart for Planet Drum, and three more this March (2024), one with John McLaughlin, and the band Shakti, and two for his collaborations with Béla Fleck, Edgar Meyer and Rakesh Chaurasia.

Notably, Zakir Hussain is the first Indian to take home three Grammy Awards in one night.

Additionally, the United States awarded Hussain the National Heritage Fellowship in 1999 by the National Endowment for the Arts, America’s highest lifetime honour for the traditional artists. Later in 2017, he was honoured with SFJazz’s Lifetime Achievement Award for his “unparalleled contribution to the world of music”.

In 2022, Aga Khan Award was presented to the Tabla legend for his “enduring contributions to the musical heritage of humanity, peerless musical mastery and sustained social impact”.