Tabla maestro Ustad Zakir Hussain passes away at 73
Ustad Zakir Hussain, the globally revered tabla virtuoso died on Sunday at 73. Battling heart-related ailments, Hussain breathed his last at a hospital in San Francisco, as confirmed by his manager, Nirmala Bachani.
Hussain's death marks the end of an era for Indian classical music and global fusion. He was the eldest son of the legendary tabla maestro Allah Rakha. Known for his extraordinary fingerwork and rhythmic brilliance, he brought the tabla to a global stage, collaborating with some of the world's finest musicians.
Recalling his first major booking, he once shared how, at 13, he responded to a concert offer addressed to his father, offering himself as a replacement without revealing his age. The bold move paid off, and thus began a career that spanned six decades and saw him perform on some of the world's most prestigious stages.
His most iconic work came in 1973 when he collaborated with English guitarist John McLaughlin, violinist L Shankar, and percussionist TH 'Vikku' Vinayakram. Together, they crafted a groundbreaking fusion of Indian classical music with jazz, redefining the boundaries of genre.
Ustad Zakir Hussain's contributions to music were recognized with some of the most prestigious awards. He was conferred with the Padma Shri in 1988, the Padma Bhushan in 2002, and the Padma Vibhushan — India's second-highest civilian award — in 2023. On the global stage, he was a four-time Grammy Award winner, most recently winning three Grammy Awards at the 66th Grammy Awards earlier this year. His unparalleled skills earned him the reputation of a "fearsome technician" and a "whimsical inventor," as the New York Times remarked in a 2009 review of his Carnegie Hall performance.
As news of his passing spread, tributes poured in from political leaders, industrialists, and fellow artists. Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi expressed his condolences on X (formerly Twitter), writing, "The news of the death of the great tabla player Ustad Zakir Hussain ji is extremely sad. His death is a great loss for the music world. My condolences are with his family and fans in this hour of grief. Ustad Zakir Hussain ji has left behind such a legacy of his art, which will always remain alive in our memories."
Born in Bombay, Zakir Hussain was a natural heir to his father Allah Rakha's legacy, but he surpassed all expectations, taking the tabla to unparalleled heights.
