Ustad Zakir Hussain, the legendary Indian tabla virtuoso, passed away on Monday in San Francisco, United States, at the age of 73. Hussain’s family confirmed his death in a statement, attributing it to complications from idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. He had been hospitalized for two weeks and was moved to the intensive care unit (ICU) after his condition worsened, according to Hindustan Times. Widely regarded as one of the greatest tabla players of all time, Ustad Zakir Hussain was also a celebrated composer, percussionist, music producer, and film actor. Born on March 9, 1951, to legendary tabla player Ustad Alla Rakha Qureshi, Zakir Hussain exhibited prodigious musical talent from an early age. By the age of seven, he was performing alongside his father, showcasing the virtuosity that would later define his career. He attended St. Michael's High School in Mahim and graduated from St. Xavier's College in Mumbai. Ustad Zakir Hussain in critical condition, family urges prayers Hussain’s collaborations with Indian classical legends such as Pandit Ravi Shankar and Ustad Ali Akbar Khan brought him global acclaim. He also revolutionized Indian classical music by fusing it with other genres, most notably as the co-founder of the fusion band Shakti with guitarist John McLaughlin. His work elevated the tabla to international prominence, capturing the hearts of audiences worldwide. Zakir Hussain’s contributions to music earned him some of India’s highest civilian honors, including the Padma Shri in 1988, the Padma Bhushan in 2002, and the Padma Vibhushan in 2023. Internationally, he garnered numerous accolades, including a Grammy Award in 2009 for the collaborative album “Global Drum Project”. He received a total of seven Grammy nominations throughout his career, with four wins, the latest being three Grammy awards in February 2024. In the United States, he was honored with the National Endowment for the Arts' National Heritage Fellowship, the highest award for traditional artists and musicians. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his condolences on X, writing, "Deeply saddened by the passing of the legendary tabla maestro, Ustad Zakir Hussain Ji. He will be remembered as a true genius who revolutionized the world of Indian classical music." Modi added, "He also brought the tabla to the global stage, captivating millions with his unparalleled rhythm. Through this, he seamlessly blended Indian classical traditions with global music, thus becoming an icon of cultural unity." Oscar-winning composer AR Rahman also paid tribute, writing on X: "Zakir Bhai was an inspiration, a towering personality who elevated the tabla to global acclaim. His loss is immeasurable for all of us. I regret not being able to collaborate with him as much as we did decades ago, though we had planned an album together." The passing of Ustad Zakir Hussain has left a profound void in the cultural and musical world. His unparalleled contributions to music and his ability to transcend boundaries have solidified his legacy as one of the greatest musicians of the modern era.

Zakir Hussain, the peerless tabla player and multiple Grammy award winner, is critical and in a US hospital over serious heart-related ailments, his family said on Sunday. "My brother is deeply ill at this time. We are asking for all his fans around India and around the world to pray for him, to pray for his health. But as India's greatest ever exports, do not finish him off just yet," Zakir Hussain's sister Khurshid Aulia told news agency PTI amid multiple reports that her brother had died. "I just want to request all the media not to follow wrong information about Zakir's passing. He is very much breathing at the moment. He is very very critical, but he's still with us. He has not yet gone.” “So, I will request (the media) not to spread this rumour by writing or saying that he has passed away. I feel so bad watching all this information on Facebook which is very wrong," she added. "He is unwell and admitted in the ICU right now. We all are worried about the situation," said Zakir Hussain's friend and flautist Rakesh Chaurasia. His manager, Nirmala Bachani, said he was admitted to a hospital in San Francisco for the last two weeks. "I am Zakir Hussain nephew and he has not passed away. We ask for prayers for my Uncle's health. Can you please remove this misinformation. He is in a serious condition and we ask for all his fans around the world to pray for his health," said Ameer Aulia on X. The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting of India, which posted about the artist's death, later deleted its post on X. Zakir Hussain, born on March 9, 1951, to Ustad Alla Rakha Qureshi, showed an early aptitude for the tabla, performing with his father at just seven years old. Hussain played with legendary artists like Pandit Ravi Shankar and Ustad Ali Akbar Khan and co-founded the fusion band Shakti with John McLaughlin, broadening the tabla's global appeal. Honoured with the Padma Shri (1988), Padma Bhushan (2002), and Padma Vibhushan (2023), Hussain's work earned him a Grammy Award in 2009 for his album ‘Global Drum Project’. He has received seven Grammy nominations, winning four, including three in 2024. He was also awarded the prestigious National Heritage Fellowship by the US National Endowment for the Arts.   Source: With inputs from NDTV

Acclaimed Indian tabla player Ustad Zakir Hussain has received prestigious Aga Khan Music Award in lifetime achievement category for his enduring contributions to the musical heritage of humanity at a ceremony at Muscat in Oman. Prince Amyn Aga Khan on Saturday night presented the special award to Zakir Hussain as he said the true impact of the Aga Khan Music Awards will be measured by the achievements of a laureate like Zakir Hussain. The award was given for his peerless musical mastery and sustained social impact as a performer and teacher, according to the award citation. The Prince said such a maestro endeavours to use his musical talent and knowledge to contribute to the well-being of the respective societies and of humanity at large.  "The gift of artistic talent bestows a responsibility on those who receive it to share their good fortune with others, to unite us despite our many apparent differences,” he said. Read more: 2 Bangladesh projects win 2022 Aga Khan Award for Architecture Prince Amyn underscored the important role of the Music Awards in supporting music educators.  “By educating young people in their own musical traditions while also providing them the tools to expand those traditions in new cosmopolitan directions, we are helping to prepare a new generation of cultural leaders that will build bridges and connections across cultures,” he said. Prince Amyn’s address was preceded by remarks from Dr Jamal al-Moosawi, Director of the National Museum – Sultanate of Oman.  Dr al-Moosawi noted that hosting the second edition of the Aga Khan Music Awards is very much in alignment with the Sultanate’s desire to build bridges of communication and cooperation between countries and cultures. The Royal Oman Symphony Orchestra was joined by the Aga Khan Master Musicians (AKMM), the resident ensemble of the Aga Khan Music Programme, in a rousing performance of “Tashkent,” composed by AKMM saxophonist Basel Rajoub and arranged for orchestra by Dmitri Yanov-Yanovsky. Ustad Zakir Hussain, meanwhile, with his mesmerising performance enthralled the audience in the Royal Opera House Muscat’s House of Musical Arts on Saturday night. He performed as a soloist with the Royal Oman Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Maestro Hamdan al Shaely in a performance of Peshkar, a concerto for tabla and orchestra composed by Zakir Hussain in 2015. In addition to Ustad Zakir Hussain, other laureates who performed live or were presented in short films include sarangi players Dilshad Khan and Asin Khan Langa, from India; Tanzanian praise singer Yahya Hussein Abdallah; Coumbane bint Ely Warakane, a hereditary griot from Mauritania; singer and guitar player Afel Bocoum, from Mali; devotional singer Sain Zahoor and “Queen of Pashtun Folk Music” Zarsanga, from Pakistan; and music researcher Musallam Al-Kathiri, from the Sultanate of Oman.  The Music Awards will continue for the second day on Sunday with more performances, films and presentations of awards. The triennial Awards, established by the Aga Khan in 2018, recognise exceptional creativity, promise and enterprise in music in societies across the world in which Muslims have a significant presence.  Award winners and recipients of a Special Mention will share a prize fund of $500,000 as well as opportunities for professional development.  List of the laureates of the 2022 Aga Khan Music Awards: Afel Bocoum (Mali) Singer and guitar player from Niafunké, Mali whose music combines acoustic guitar with local instruments to echo the sound of “desert blues” in an earthier, tradition-based style. Asin Khan Langa (India) Sarangi player, singer, composer and community activist from Rajasthan’s hereditary Langa musical community, who performs Sufi poetry set to traditional and newly composed melodies. Coumbane Mint Ely Warakane (Mauritania) Singer and ardin (harp) player from Trarza, in southwest Mauritania, who performs the music of Mauritanian griots in a deeply traditional style. Read more: Aga Khan Music Awards announces seven-member Master Jury 2022 Daud Khan Sadozai (Afghanistan) Leading exponent of the Afghan rubab who has had a major impact on the preservation, development and dissemination of Afghan music worldwide. Peni Candra Rini (Indonesia) Indonesian composer, improviser, vocalist and educator whose knowledge of traditional Indonesian performing arts informs her creation of new works produced worldwide. Soumik Datta (UK)  Sarod player who fuses his training in Hindustani classical music with pop, rock, electronica and film soundtracks to raise awareness about urgent social issues including climate change, refugees and mental health. Yahya Hussein Abdallah (Tanzania) Singer and composer of devotional songs and reciter of the Qur’an from Dar es Salaam, Tanzania who composes and sings in Swahili as well as some of Tanzania’s 126 local languages. Yasamin Shahhosseini (Iran) Leading young master of the oud who is reimagining the place of this instrument in Iranian music through her innovative compositions and improvisations. Zarsanga (Pakistan) Singer from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, known as the Queen of Pashtun Folklore for her career-long devotion to the orally transmitted traditional music of tribal Pashtuns. Special Mentions Dilshad Khan (India) Tenth-generation sarangi player from a hereditary lineage in Rajasthan who is expanding the language of the sarangi in film music and through innovative cross-cultural collaborative projects. Golshan Ensemble (Iran) Four women who perform Iranian traditional music with a contemporary sound and are active as teachers, with a special focus on transmitting their musical tradition to girls and women. Sain Zahoor (Pakistan) Punjabi musician with a lifelong practice of singing Sufi poetry in local shrines and festivals, often accompanied by ecstatic dance. Seyyed Mohammad Musavi & Mahoor Institute (Iran) Founder and long-time director of Mahoor Institute of Culture and Arts, who has made seminal contributions to the development of Iranian music and musicology. Read more: Despite some event hiccups, Suman still creates magic for Dhaka fans Zulkifli & Bur’am (Aceh, Indonesia) Revitalisers of Acehnese song traditions who have cultivated community building amongst youth through their participation in Bur’am, a traditional singing and drumming ensemble established by Zulkifli.