Zakir Hussain, Legendary Tabla Maestro, Passes Away At 73

Zakir Hussain, the legendary tabla maestro and composer, passed away on Sunday, December 15, 2024, at the age of 73.

Earlier on Sunday, Hussain was admitted to the ICU of a San Francisco hospital with heart related problems, his friend and flautist Rakesh Chaurasia told PTI.

The US-based tabla maestro had been battling blood pressure issues, according to Hussain's manager, Nirmala Bachani.

Ustad Zakir Hussain: The Tabla Maestro 

The eldest son of legendary tabla player Allah Rakha, Zakir Hussain followed in his father's footsteps to become a global icon. Throughout his career, Hussain won five Grammy Awards, including three at the 66th Grammy Awards earlier this year. 

In a career spanning six decades, Zakir Hussain collaborated with several renowned artists, both Indian and international. His 1973 project with English guitarist John McLaughlin, violinist L Shankar, and percussionist T.H. 'Vikku' Vinayakram was groundbreaking. The collaboration fused Indian classical music with jazz, creating a unique sound never heard before.