Indian Tabla Icon Zakir Hussain Passes Away at 73

World-renowned tabla maestro Ustad Zakir Hussain has passed away at the age of 73, leaving the global music community in mourning. He died on Sunday in a hospital in San Francisco, where he was being treated for cardiac complications, his manager confirmed.

Born in Mumbai, Zakir Hussain was the son of the legendary Ustad Allah Rakha. He carried forward his father’s legacy, taking the art of tabla to global stages and redefining its role in both classical and contemporary music. His career began at just 13, marked by his innovative talent and boldness, as he once admitted in an interview about self-booking his first concert without revealing his age.

Zakir Hussain’s accolades include India’s highest civilian honors: the Padma Shri (1988), Padma Bhushan (2002), and Padma Vibhushan (2023). Internationally, he earned five Grammy Awards, with three received this year for his collaborations in world music.

Condolences are flooding in from political leaders, artists, and fans. Indian Union Minister Nitin Gadkari described his passing as “an irreparable loss to the world of music and culture.”