The world of music lost a gem with the demise of Ustad Zakir Hussain. The renowned tabla player passed away due to idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis in San Francisco, California at the age of 73. The late musician rendered new dimensions to Indian music as he took the culture and the humility associated with our music, across the world.
Zakir, who was born on March 9, 1951, in Mumbai, was the eldest son of tabla player Alla Rakha, and is widely considered as one of the greatest tabla players of all time. As much as a great musician he was, the Ustaad was also known for his nature, his conduct on stage and his respect for the art and fellow artists.
He struck a chord with every generation and every set of listeners owing to his exceptional skills, his charm and the ability to blend in with every genre. The sight of him belting out his prowess on tabla for a tea brand is a core memory of every 1990s kid.
While the space of Indian television commercials was still walking on its wobbly legs, it was Zakir, who gave it the required strength with his stellar screen presence, his unmatched brilliance on tabla and the way with which he said, “Waah Taj”.
His presence was truly global as he not only elevated Indian music to great heights but also collaborated with many international artists like George Harrison of the iconic band, The Beatles, on the 1973 album ‘Living in the Material World’ and John Handy for the album ‘Hard Work’. He also performed on Van Morrison's 1979 album ‘Into the Music’ and ‘Earth’.
His illustrious body of work was feted with several awards like four Grammy Awards, Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan and Padma Vibhushan, Government of India's Sangeet Natak Akademi Award, Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship, Ratna Sadsya, United States National Endowment for the Arts' National Heritage Fellowship, the highest award given to traditional artists and musicians.
Zakir Hussain continues to leave a deep impact on India’s music and its cultural heritage.
Film industry veterans mourn the demise of the legend…
Several members of the film fraternity like Kamal Haasan, Akshay Kumar, A. R. Rahman, Mohanlal, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Hansal Mehta, and others shared their condolences on his demise.
Bollywood superstar Akshay Kumar took to his social media and shared an image of Zakir Hussain. He wrote, "Very pained to know about the sad demise of Ustad Zakir Hussain Sahab. He was truly a treasure for our country's musical heritage. Om Shanti".
Veteran Tamil megastar Kamal Haasan took to his X, formerly Twitter and shared an old image in which Zakir Hussain could be seen giving the taal to the actor as the latter plays tabla. He wrote, “Zakir Bhai! He left too soon. Yet we are grateful for the times he gave us and what he left behind in the form of his art. Goodbye and Thank you”.
Oscar and Grammy-winning music composer A. R. Rahman called Zakir an inspiration and expressed his regret for not collaborating with him in recent years. He wrote, “Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji'un. 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. You shall be truly missed. May his family and his countless students worldwide find the strength to bear this immense loss”.
Veteran Malayalam superstar Mohanlal wrote on his X, “Ustad Zakir Hussain’s passing leaves an irreplaceable void in the world of music. His rhythms united hearts across borders. My deepest condolences to his family and admirers”.
Actress Kareena Kapoor Khan, who was recently seen along with Akshay Kumar in ‘Singham Again’, also paid tribute to the legendary musician with a heartfelt image that featured her alongside Zakir Hussain and her father, Randhir Kapoor. She wrote, “Maestro forever”.
Filmmaker Hansal Mehta, who recently directed Kareena in ‘The Buckingham Murders’ also took to his X, and wrote, “The maestro who made so many sleepless nights at Hindustani classical concerts memorable. The man who knew how to engage with an audience through his artistry. The Ustad who made the tabla sexy. Goodbye Ustad Zakir Hussain”.
Playback singer Sonu Nigam expressed his shock at the demise of the late musician, as he took to his Instagram, and wrote, “Zakir bhai… What is this?”.
Actress Nimrat Kaur recalled the last time she saw Ustad Zakir Hussain perform live earlier this year. She took to her Instagram and shared a picture and a video of the late musician. She wrote in the caption, “On Feb 28th, ’24, when I last watched Ustad Zakir Hussain live at Prithvi Theatre, I recall my heart beating to the beats of the sheer flawless genius of his talent. His international superstardom and the zenith of his achievements are forever here to inspire and energize us”.
“As a human being, to remain the most humble, gracious, and generous through his incomparable life journey is what remains etched as a life goal in my heart. Your kind eyes and mystical being shall outlive generations…rest in glory Ustad ji. Never shall there be another”, she added.
(IANS)