Tabla maestro Zakir Hussain died in a hospital in San Francisco on December 15, 2024, at the age of 73. His family said he died from complications of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, a chronic lung disease.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!The family’s statement
Hussain had been in hospital for about two weeks before his condition worsened and he was moved to intensive care. His sister, Khurshid Aulia, told PTI that he died peacefully after the ventilator was switched off. The family said he “leaves behind an extraordinary legacy cherished by countless music lovers around the globe.”
Career and awards
Hussain was born in Mumbai on March 9, 1951, and was the son of the tabla master Ustad Allarakha. He was known for bringing the tabla to global audiences and for working with musicians across genres, including George Harrison and Herbie Hancock.
He won four Grammy Awards in his career. Three of them came at the 66th Grammy Awards in February 2024, which AP and Variety reported made him the first Indian musician to win three Grammys in the same year. His earlier Grammy was in 2009. India honoured him with the Padma Shri, the Padma Bhushan and the Padma Vibhushan.
Tributes
The family described his work as a teacher and mentor as having “left an indelible mark on countless musicians.” Tributes followed from musicians and public figures, including A.R. Rahman.
Editor’s note: an earlier version of this article contained unsourced material, including an advertising reference, and confused Hussain with an unrelated person. That material has been removed, and the article now reports the family’s statement and sourced career details.
Sources
- AP via Lethbridge Herald, Zakir Hussain, one of India’s most accomplished classical musicians, dies at 73 (15 December 2024): https://lethbridgeherald.com/?p=986653
- Variety, Zakir Hussain, tabla maestro, dead at 73 (16 December 2024): https://variety.com/2024/music/asia/zakir-hussain-dead-tabla-1236249604
- PTI via Udayavani, Tabla maestro Zakir Hussain passes away at 73 in San Francisco (15 December 2024): https://udayavani.com/english-news/tabla-maestro-zakir-hussain-passes-away-at-73-in-san-francisco
- Dawn, Zakir Hussain, tabla maestro with ‘dancing fingers’, dies (17 December 2024): https://www.dawn.com/news/1879259
- Malay Mail, Legendary tabla maestro Zakir Hussain dies at 73 (16 December 2024): https://www.malaymail.com/news/showbiz/2024/12/16/zakir-hussain-legendary-tabla-maestro-dies-at-73/160044