New Delhi [India], December 16 : The world of music is mourning the loss of Ustad Zakir Hussain, widely regarded as one of the greatest and most influential tabla players of all time.
The legendary musician passed away due to idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, a chronic lung disease. The news was confirmed by Jon Bleicher of Prospect PR, representing the family.
From celebrities to Indian cabinet ministers, tributes poured in to honour the tabla maestro. Rajya Sabha member Sudha Murty expressed her deep sorrow at his demise, crediting him with introducing the tabla to Western audiences.
"Hearing of Zakir Hussain's death brings me immense pain. He introduced the beauty of the tabla to the Western world. He was a good human being, and I knew him personally. It is a great loss to India and the music world," said Sudha Murty while speaking to ANI.
Ustad Zakir Hussain's passing marks the end of an era in world music. His extraordinary career, spanning nearly six decades, elevated the tabla from a supporting instrument in Indian classical music to a leading voice on the global stage.
Renowned for his virtuosity and emotive expression, Hussain was not just a performer but also a cultural ambassador who bridged the gap between traditional Indian rhythms and global musical genres.
Born on March 9, 1951, in Mumbai, Zakir Hussain was the son of iconic tabla master Ustad Alla Rakha. From a young age, he demonstrated an exceptional talent for the tabla, gaining recognition early in life. By his teenage years, he was already performing alongside some of the greatest Indian classical musicians.
Throughout his illustrious career, Ustad Zakir Hussain collaborated with some of the most iconic names in both Indian and international music. He worked with legends such as Pandit Ravi Shankar and Ustad Vilayat Khan and played a pivotal role in forming international fusion bands like Shakti with guitarist John McLaughlin and Planet Drum with Grateful Dead's Mickey Hart.
His collaboration on the Planet Drum album earned him a Grammy Award, one of many accolades in his remarkable career.
Zakir Hussain's contributions to music were celebrated with numerous prestigious honours, including the Padma Shri (1988) and Padma Bhushan (2002) from the Indian government, along with four Grammy Awards.
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