Legendary tabla player Zakir Hussain passed away on Monday at the age of 73. Widely regarded as the greatest tabla maestro of his time, he is survived by his wife, Antonia Minnecola, and two daughters, Anisa Qureshi and Isabella Qureshi.
Born on March 9, 1951, Zakir Hussain was the son of the renowned tabla master Ustad Alla Rakha. He had been hospitalized for two weeks and was later moved to the ICU as his health worsened. According to a statement from his family, he passed away due to complications from idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.
Zakir Hussain (Musician) Biography
Ustad Zakir Hussain (March 9, 1951 – December 15, 2024) was a renowned Indian tabla player, composer, percussionist, music producer, and actor. The eldest son of legendary tabla maestro Alla Rakha, Zakir Hussain is considered one of the greatest tabla players in history.
Throughout his career, he received numerous prestigious awards. In 1990, he was honored with the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award by the Government of India and, in 2018, the Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship (Ratna Sadsya). In 1999, he received the National Heritage Fellowship, the highest recognition for traditional artists and musicians in the United States.
Zakir Hussain earned seven Grammy nominations and won four. Notably, he won three Grammys in February 2024, cementing his legacy as an extraordinary artist.
Zakir Hussain completed his schooling at St. Michael’s High School in Mahim and later graduated from St. Xavier’s College in Mumbai.
According to media sources, he earned significant wealth through his performances and was reported to have a net worth of approximately $1 million.
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Family of Zakir Hussain And Death
Zakir Hussain was married to Antonia Minnecola, a Kathak dancer and his manager. They had two daughters—Anisa, a filmmaker who graduated from UCLA, and Isabella, a dance student in Manhattan. His brothers, Taufiq and Fazal, were also musicians, while another brother, Munawar, died young.
He had three sisters: Bilquis (who died before his birth), Razia (who passed away in 2000), and Khurshid. Zakir Hussain was a professor at Princeton and Stanford Universities and was honored with an honorary Doctor of Law degree by Mumbai University in 2022.
He passed away on December 15, 2024, in San Francisco at the age of 73 due to idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.
Career Highlights of Zakir Hussain
- Music Collaborations: Zakir Hussain worked with renowned artists like George Harrison, Van Morrison, and Earth, Wind & Fire.
- Grammy Awards: He won his first Grammy in 1992 for Planet Drum with Mickey Hart and later won another for Global Drum Project in 2009.
- Film Contributions: He composed music for films like Vanaprastham and In Custody and played tabla on soundtracks for Apocalypse Now and Little Buddha.
- Documentaries and Films: Starred in films such as Heat and Dust and documentaries like The Speaking Hand.
- Musical Philosophy: Hussain avoided performing at private events, believing music should be the sole focus of any gathering.
Awards
- Indian Awards: Padma Shri (1988), Padma Bhushan (2002), Padma Vibhushan (2023), and Sangeet Natak Akademi honors.
- International Awards: Received the National Heritage Fellowship (1999) from the U.S.
Other Contributions
- Book: His life story was documented in the book Zakir Hussain: A Life in Music (2018).
- Legacy: Known for his innovative style, he bridged Indian classical music with global genres and inspired generations of musicians.
Quick Info About Zakir Hussain
| Full Name | Zakir Hussain Qureshi |
| Nickname | Zakir |
| Profession(s) | Indian Classical Musician (Tabla Maestro) |
| Father’s Name | Alla Rakha (legendary tabla player) |
| Mother’s Name | Bavi Begum |
| Brother’s Name | Taufiq Qureshi and Fazal Qureshi |
| Marital Status | Married |
| Wife | Antonia Minnecola |
| Children | Son- None Daughters- Anisa Qureshi and Isabella Qureshi |
| Date Of Birth | 9 March 1951 Mumbai, Maharashtra, India |
| Age Of 2024 | 73 Years Old |
| Zodiac sign | Pisces |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Hometown | Mumbai, Maharashtra, India |
| Address | San Francisco, California, United States |
| School | St. Michael’s High School, Mahim, Maharashtra, India |
| College/ University | St. Xavier’s, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India University of Washington, U.S.A |
| Educational Qualification(s) | Graduate PhD (Music) |
| Popular Soundtrack(s) | 1979: Apocalypse Now (1979) 1993: In Custody and Little Buddha 1998: Saaz 1999: Vanaprastham 2001: The Mystic Masseur 2002: Mr. and Mrs. Iyer 2003: One Dollar Curry |
| Award & Recognition(s) | 1998: Padma Shri 2002: Padma Bhushan 1990: Indo-American Award and Sangeet Natak Akademi Award 1999: National Heritage Fellowship of National Endowment for the Arts from Hillary Clinton 2005: Old Dominion Fellow by the Humanities Council at Princeton University for being a full time Professor in the music department 2006: Kalidas Samman 2009: 51st Grammy Award 2023: Padma Vibhushan |
| Net Worth | 5-6 Crores INR |
| Social Profiles | Instagram – YouTube – Facebook |
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