Ustad Zakir Hussain, the renowned tabla maestro and eldest son of Ustad Allah Rakha, is currently hospitalised in a San Francisco hospital in USA and is being treated for 'serious' health ailments. Widely regarded as one of the greatest tabla players of all time, his family has requested prayers for his speedy recovery.
The news was confirmed by his brother-in-law, Ayub Aulia over a phone call to journalist Pervaiz Alam, who posted this information on his official Twitter handle.. "Ustad Zakir Hussain, Tabla player, percussionist, composer, former actor and the son of legendary Tabla player, Ustad Allah Rakha is not well."
"He’s being treated for serious ailments in a San Francisco hospital, USA, informed his brother in law, Ayub Aulia in a phone call with me. Aulia sahab, based in London, has requested Zakir’s followers to pray for his speedy recovery," read the tweet.
Check out the tweet:
Born in 1951 in Mumbai, Zakir was honoured with the Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan, and Padma Vibhushan by the Government of India. In 1999, he was also recognised internationally with the United States National Endowment for the Arts' National Heritage Fellowship in 1999, which is the highest honour given to traditional artists and musicians in the USA.
He began learning percussion at the age of 3, under his father's guidance. Zakir had his first concert at the age of 7, later, at the age of 11, he started touring. Hussain made history as the first Indian musician invited to the White House by former President Barack Obama to attend the All-Star Global Concert.
Recently, Zakir Hussain's As We Speak announced an India tour, featuring talented artists like Rakesh Chaurasia, Bela Fleck, and Edgar Meyer. The tour is scheduled to kickstart from January 2025.
