Why is Zakir Hussain famous?

Maestro Zakir Hussain is a legendary tabla player, a percussion instrument used in Indian classical music, who blended Indian classical with various other musical forms across the world and created his own unique genre.

Born as Zakir Hussain Allaraka Qureshi on 9 March, 1951 in Mumbai, he was a child prodigy. He displayed exceptional talent early on, earning him numerous accolades.

His father Ustad Alla Rakha Qureshi was also a legendary tabla artist, known as one of the fathers of tabla. Zakir too got the title of Ustad or maestro, a term for a guru, at an early age for his prowess in the musical world. Zakir unofficially got the title of ‘King of Tabla’.

Zakir went to St. Michael’s High School and pursued higher studies at St. Xavier’s College in Mumbai.

Along with academic pursuits, he continued with his passion for music. He alongside sitar maestro Pandit Ravi Shankar has already performed at the age of 12.

Zakir’s first overseas tour was in the US at the age of 11.

 Living World was released as his debut album in 1973.

He collaborated with multiple Western musicians from diverse backgrounds, including the Beatles.

Zakir Hussain was awarded the Indian government’s prestigious awards Padma Shri in 1988, Padma Bhushan in 2002 and Padma Vibhushan in 2023.

In 2009, he was awarded a Grammy in the Contemporary World Music Album category. He was also honored with India’s Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 1990.

In recognition of his influence on the global music stage, the United States National Endowment for the Arts conferred on Zakir Hussain the National Heritage Fellowship in 1999.

At the 66th Grammy Awards this year, he became the first Indian to win three trophies on a single night.

He performed at the Royal Albert Hall Concert in London in 2016.

Besides tabla, Zakir also acted in films such as “Heat and Dust” (1983) and “Saaz” (1998).