Indian tabla icon Zakir Hussain, 73, reported ‘dead’ in US hospital; sister refutes news, says maestro ‘very critical’

Indian tabla maestro Zakir Hussain, whose musical creations have captivated people for generations, was reported to have died at a hospital in the United States on Sunday, after suffering from heart-related ailments. However, soon after the news broke (late on Sunday night for India), and condolences were expressed by many, his close family members refuted the news of his death, and said that the iconic Indian classical percussion artiste was “very critical” but still alive.

A report by Moneycontrol.com, published just past midnight in Indian time on Sunday, quoted his sister Khursheed as telling the Indian news agency PTI that her brother was “very very critical” but was “very much breathing at the moment”. Zakir Hussain, 73, was undergoing treatment at a hospital in San Francisco.

Known for taking tabla to the global stage, he is a four-time Grammy winner. Earlier this year, he won three Grammys during the 66th edition of the musical award.

In his career, he has worked with several major Indian and international artistes like English guitarist John McLaughlin, violinist L Shankar, and percussionist TH Vikku Vinayakram, among others. Hussain has also been an actor, being part of the Merchant-Ivory film Heat and Dust (1983).

The son of Allah Rakha, the legendary tabla player, Zakir was a child prodigy who began his professional career at the age of 12, accompanying India’s greatest classical musicians and dancers and touring internationally extensively by the age of 18.

In his illustrious career that spanned decades, Zakir Hussain was awarded the Padma Shri in 1988, the Padma Bhushan in 2002, and the Padma Vibhushan in 2023, by the Government of India.

In 1999, the tabla maestro was awarded the United States National Endowment for the Arts’ National Heritage Fellowship, the highest award given to traditional artistes and musicians.

As a composer, he scored music for numerous feature films, major events and productions. He has composed three concertos, and his third, the first-ever concerto for tabla and orchestra, was premiered in India in September 2015 by the Symphony Orchestra of India; premiered in Europe and the United Kingdom in 2016; and in the USA in April 2017 by the National Symphony Orchestra at Kennedy Center.

In the United States, Zakir Hussain conducted many workshops and lectures each year. He was in residence at Princeton University and Stanford University, and, in 2015, was appointed Regents Lecturer at UCBerkeley.

His yearly workshop in the San Francisco Bay Area, conducted for the past 30 years, became a widely anticipated event for performers and serious students of tabla.

He is the founder and president of Moment Records, an independent record label presenting rare live concert recordings of Indian classical music and world music.

Zakir Hussain was the resident artistic director at SF Jazz from 2013 until 2016, and was honored with SF Jazz’s Lifetime Achievement Award on January 18, 2017, in recognition of his “unparalleled contribution to the world of music”.

On Indian Independence Day, Zakir Hussain performed at Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay in Singapore on August 15, 2024.

Condolences

Politicians and celebrities shared their thoughts on the reported sudden demise of the musician on X.

Businessman Anand Mahindra wrote on X: “The rhythm of India paused today…In tribute.”

RPG Group chairman Harsh Goenka, paying tribute, wrote on his handle: “The world falls silent as the tabla loses its maestro. Ustad Zakir Hussain, a rhythmic genius who brought the soul of India to global stages, has left us. I was privileged to know him because of his connection with HMV and hear him perform at our home. His beats will echo eternally.”

Union Minister Jyotiraditya M. Scindia said: “The बोल of Zakir Hussain Ji’s tabla spoke a universal language, transcending borders, cultures and generations.” “This clip defines how we will remember him, and celebrate his legacy. The sound & vibrations of his rhythm will echo in our hearts forever. सदैव गूंजेगा, वाह ताज!” he said.

Former Indian cricketer VVS Laxman wrote: “Really sad to learn that legend of legends, Ustad Zakir Hussain is no more. A sad day for the world of music. My heartfelt condolences to his family and friends.”