New Delhi: With his wild curls and lightning-fast fingers, Zakir Hussain turned the tabla into a global star. He jammed with everyone from Ravi Shankar to John McLaughlin, won four Grammys, scored films, and even acted in Ismail Merchant’s Heat and Dust. In his final days at a San Francisco hospital, his sister called him one of India’s “greatest-ever exports” — but his larger-than-life presence never left India’s music scene.
On Monday, 16 December, the 73-year-old tabla maestro died of complications caused by idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, a lung disease. But musicians, from veterans to rising stars, say his legacy will endure across generations and genres.
“He is a talent that comes once in 100 years,” said Hindustani classical vocalist Manjusha Patil, who last performed alongside “Khan saheb”, as he is known in classical music circles, eight years ago.
The 53-year-old shared the stage with Hussain twice — first in Pune in 2015 and later in Mumbai in 2016. She remembers those moments not just for the experience of performing with a legend, but for how he treated younger artists.
“Despite his towering stature and extraordinary talent, he was always eager to collaborate with young artists,” she said. “My favourite moment was in Pune, where we performed natya sangeet and abhangya together. It was unforgettable.”
For Indian vocalist and composer Shounak Abhisheki, Hussain was a “multi-talented man”, with skills across instruments and genres as well as a keen intelligence.
“He would play instruments like piano and guitar. He had great knowledge of Indian vocal music. He was fluent in many languages. He could sing bandishs and compositions. He mastered multiple facets of art – hence, his music was class apart,” he said.
The connection between Abhisheki and Hussain goes back decades. Their fathers — Pandit Jitendra Abhisheki and Ustad Alla Rakha — worked together, and their sons followed in their footsteps.
Even though Abhisheki has shared the stage with Hussain multiple times, he prefers to call himself “a fan and admirer” of his craft.
“No one can be at par with his talent,” he said.
‘Gave tabla an identity’
Hussain didn’t just join the ranks of tabla greats like Anindo Chatterjee, Shafaat Ahmed Khan, Kumar Bose, and Swapan Chaudhuri — he redefined the role of the instrument itself, gave it a leading role, and brought it to the international stage.
Over time, his name became synonymous with the tabla. For multiple generations — from 12-year-olds to 50-year-olds — the sound of the tabla means Zakir Hussain.
Semi-classical singer Vidhya Gopal credits Hussain with pushing the tabla from the background to the centre stage.
“Art is about storytelling. And he would tell stories through tabla,” she said. “Earlier, it was just about vocalists but through his concerts, he gave tabla an identity of its own.”
Hussain’s speed, dexterity, and creativity in playing the tabla mesmerised audiences across cultures. But it wasn’t just virtuosity that set him apart. Over the years, he experimented with sound, pulling out the instrument’s subtler shades and showing it could do more than keep rhythm — it could carry melody too.
He was also a leading ambassador for Indian classical music and helped cement its global identity He founded the fusion band Shakti with guitarist John McLaughlin, violinist L Shankar, and ghatam player Vinayakram, performed at the White House on Barack Obama’s invitation, and lent his music to soundtracks for films like Apocalypse Now and In Custody.
“He showed that tabla players can be stars as well,” Abhisheki added.
A lifelong ‘student’
Hussain won four Grammy Awards and received the Padma Vibhushan, India’s second-highest civilian honour. But those who knew him say his genius wasn’t just in his accolades but how he approached music. His collaborators say he always had a zeal to learn and was constantly curious and open.
“He had the world’s experience. But, still came across as a student. He was young at heart and his commitment to art made him what he was,” said Gopal.
For Manjusha Patil, it was Hussain’s “humility” that stood out and was one of the ingredients of his unparalleled success.
“He never saw himself, his art, or his abilities as superior. For him, music always came first,” she said.
For the new crop of classical music singers, what made Hussain especially inspiring was his creative flexibility. Unlike purists who stick to rules, Hussain moved freely across genres. His tabla knew no borders.
“Zakir jee never put too many terms and conditions to music. He has explored jazz and rock as well through tabla,” said Digvijay Singh Pariyar, or DigV, best known for his Bandish Bandits vocals.
DigV said that Hussain has set a “new level” and “high bar” for the new age musicians.
“The connection he had with music cannot be put to words. He is a generational musician and he had a cosmic connection with the universe,” said DigV.
The singer considers himself blessed for being able to meet Hussain very recently.
“Or else I would have a lifetime of guilt,” he said. “Zakir jee’s soul can never die. He has made himself immortal through his craft.”
(Edited by Asavari Singh)