From Tabla Maestro To Being Voted Sexiest Man, A Glimpse Into Zakir Hussain's Life; IN PICS

Zakir Hussain, a tabla maestro, percussionist, composer, and even an actor, was a legendary figure who was deeply rooted in Indian heritage yet connected with the global music community.

Hussain passed away from idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, a lung disease, at a hospital in San Francisco early Monday. He was 73 years old.

The artist, who enjoyed a career spanning over six decades, leaves behind a rich legacy of music. Renowned both in India and internationally, he performed alongside some of the world’s greatest musicians, blending Indian classical traditions with global influences and elevating the tabla to a whole new dimension.

He was married to Antonia Minnecola, a Kathak dancer and teacher. Together, they had two daughters, Anisa Qureshi and Isabella Qureshi.

The great percussionist created music across genres and styles, including in his repertoire jazz and concertos, naturally developing an “all-inclusive musical creativity” after learning and playing under the tutelage of his father and renowned tabla player, Alla Rakha.

At the 2024 Grammys, Hussain earned his first honour for best global music album for “This Moment” as part of the fusion music group Shakti, which includes founding member British guitarist John McLaughlin, as well as vocalist Shankar Mahadevan, violinist Ganesh Rajagopalan and percussionist Selvaganesh Vinayakram.

The percussionist was once voted the “sexiest man” by women readers of the Indian magazine “Gentleman” in 1994 in a competition against the likes of Amitabh Bachchan.

Besides his work as a tabla player, Hussain also composed music for many movies, including Manto and Mr and Mrs Iyer.

He also acted in the Merchant Ivory film production Heat and Dust, The Perfect Murder and Saaz, opposite Shabana Azmi.

In 1988, Hussain became a household name as the face of the Taj Mahal Tea brand.

Apart from four Grammys, Hussain was the recipient of countless awards and honours, including Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan, Padma Vibhushan, Sangeet Natak Akademi Award, the USA's National Heritage Fellowship and Officier in France's Order of Arts and Letters.

He is survived by his wife Antonia Minnecola and two daughters, Anisa Qureshi and Isabella Qureshi. (All Image: Zakir Hussain/Instagram.)