10 Fascinating Facts About Zakir Hussain- The Padma Shri Tabla Master

On December 15, renowned tabla maestro Ustad Zakir Hussain passed away at the age of 73 in a San Francisco hospital. According to his family, the cause of death was idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, a rare lung disease.

Zakir Hussain began playing the tabla at the age of three and gave his first professional performance at seven.

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He is the son of Ustad Alla Rakha, another legendary tabla player, and he inherited his musical genius from his father.

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Zakir Hussain received the Padma Shri in 1988, becoming the youngest percussionist to be honored with this award.

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He has collaborated with international artists like John McLaughlin, Mickey Hart, and George Harrison, blending Indian classical music with world music.

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Hussain appeared in the iconic Indian film Heat and Dust (1983) and has composed music for various films.

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He won a Grammy Award in 1992 for the album Planet Drum in collaboration with Mickey Hart.

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Zakir Hussain co-founded the band Shakti with guitarist John McLaughlin, which pioneered Indo-Western fusion music.

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Beyond performing, he has contributed to nurturing new talent by conducting workshops and teaching tabla worldwide.

He is regarded as an unofficial cultural ambassador for India, promoting Indian classical music globally.

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Despite his mastery, Zakir Hussain continues to explore and innovate, pushing the boundaries of rhythm and percussion.

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