Legendary tabla maestro Ustad Zakir Hussain (1951–2024), a four-time Grammy Award winner and recipient of India’s Padma Vibhushan, passed away in San Francisco, USA, on December 15, 2024, at the age of 73.
- Born on March 9, 1951, in Mumbai’s Mahim area, Zakir Hussain was the son of legendary tabla master Ustad Allarakha, who was renowned for being Pandit Ravi Shankar’s longtime accompanist.
Career Highlights and Achievements:
- Shakti Band: Zakir Hussain formed the iconic fusion band Shakti in 1973 with guitarist John McLaughlin.
- Grammy Awards: Over his illustrious career, Zakir Hussain won a total of five Grammy Awards:
- Two Grammys for Planet Drum with Mickey Hart.
- In March 2024, he achieved an unprecedented feat, winning three Grammys in one night:
- One for his work with John McLaughlin and Shakti.
- Two for collaborations with Béla Fleck, Edgar Meyer, and Rakesh Chaurasia.
Notably, he became the first Indian artist to win three Grammys in a single night.
Indian Honors: India recognized Zakir Hussain’s unparalleled contributions to music with the following awards:
- Padma Shri
- Padma Bhushan
- Padma Vibhushan
- Sangeet Natak Akademi Award
- Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship (Lifetime Honor Award)
International Recognition:
- In 1999, Zakir Hussain received the National Heritage Fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts—America’s highest lifetime honor for traditional artists.
- In 2022, he was awarded the prestigious Aga Khan Award for his “enduring contributions to the musical heritage of humanity, peerless musical mastery, and sustained social impact.”
