Ustad Zakir Hussain Passes Away At 73: Here Are A Few Lesser-Known Facts About The Tabla Maestro

Ustad Zakir Hussain, a renowned Indian tabla virtuoso and composer passed away at 73 in San Francisco Hospital. He was famous for blending jazz fusion and world music with Hindustani traditions, revolutionizing Indian rhythms.

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Hussain began learning to play percussion instruments at a very early age. He learned to play pakhawaj from his father at the age of 3.

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Hussain was a part of a band named Planet Drum along with Mickey Hart, Sikiru Adepoju, and Giovanni Hidalgo. Their first album won 1992’s Grammy Award for Best Contemporary World Music Album in 2009. They reunited 15 years later at Global Drum Project.

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Zakir Hussain is the son of the iconic tabla player Alla Rakha, who frequently accompanied sitar virtuoso Pandit Ravi Shankar.

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Zakir Hussain's family name was originally Qureshi, but he was assigned the surname Hussain.

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Zakir Hussain made his film debut in 1989 with ‘Heat and Dust’. He not only performed in the film but also created music for it.

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He received the Padma Shri in 1988, Padma Bhushan in 2002, and Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 1990 from India.

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He was the first Indian musician invited to the White House by former US president Barack Obama to participate in the All-Star Global Concert.

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