Tabla Maestro, Zakir Hussain, passed away at the age of 73 in San Francisco, an official statement from his family confirmed on Monday.
Hussain had been battling health issues and was receiving treatment in the intensive care unit of a San Francisco hospital when he breathed his last.
The renowned Tabla virtuoso leaves behind a rich legacy that is deeply admired by music enthusiasts worldwide, with an impact that will resonate for generations to come.
Hussain is survived by his wife, Antonia Minnecola, daughters Anisa Qureshi and Isabella Qureshi, along with their families, as well as his brothers Taufiq and Fazal Qureshi, and his sister Khurshid Aulia.
Earlier on Sunday, Rakesh Chaurasia, Hussain’s friend and flautist, shared that the Tabla legend had been hospitalized in the ICU of a San Francisco hospital due to heart-related issues.
The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting had announced Hussain’s passing on social media a few hours earlier, but later deleted the statement.
Zakir Hussain: A legendary musician
Hussain was one of India’s most popular and celebrated classical musicians. He was honoured with the Padma Shri in 1988, the Padma Bhushan in 2002, and the Padma Vibhushan in 2023.
Zakir Hussain was the son of tabla legend Allah Rakha. During a glittering career spanning six decades, he achieved many international honours including ve Grammy Awards — three of them at the 2023 ceremony.
Hussain’s career includes collaborations with numerous Indian and international artists of renown. A pivotal project in 1973 with guitarist John McLaughlin, violinist L. Shankar, and percussionist T.H. ‘Vikku’ Vinayakram achieved cult status by blending Indian classical music with jazz elements.
Tributes started pouring in after the news of his death was confirmed by his family. Bollywood celebrities, including Kareena Kapoor, Ranveer Singh, Riteish Deshmukh and Bhumi Pednekar, paid tribute to late tabla maestro Zakir Hussain. Taking to their social media accounts, the celebrities penned notes remembering the legendary tabla maestro.
