India’s Heartbeat

On Sunday night the world of Indian classical music was alerted of the critical health condition of one of its most admired superstars, tabla maestro Ustad Zakir Hussain. Amidst heartfelt prayers and rumours flying across the globe, the worst news finally trickled in on Monday afternoon spreading a cloud of gloom. After battling an illness, he succumbed to idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, a chronic lung disease, at a hospital in San Francisco. He was 73. He is survived by his wife Antonia, and two daughters Anisa and Isabella.

“Zakir Bhai” to the music fraternity and “Z ji” to his inner circle of friends and admirers, was a modern-day musical genius unlike few others in the Hindustani classical world. Earlier this year, he became the only Indian classical musician to receive three Grammy Awards in the same year. He became the global face of tabla, much like Pandit Ravi Shankar was synonymous with the sitar.

Born in 1951 as the oldest son of Ustad Allahrakha Qureshi (1919-2000) and Bavi Begum, Zakir was a child prodigy who debuted at the age of 12. Even as a teenager he accompanied all the stalwarts of that era. By the time he turned 25, he became a name to reckon with in the world of Hindustani classical music, a feat very few achieved in the complex arena of percussion. At a time when the Hindustani classical music ecosystem treated accompanying artists as ‘lesser’ beings, often using colloquial slang like “Tabalchi” and so forth, it was Zakir who elevated the stature of an accompanying artist. Known to be a stickler for perfection, he never compromised on the quality of art he produced.

His collaborations with some of the 20th-century’s greatest musicians were unparalleled. That apart, he was one of the four founding pillars of the iconic fusion band Shakti that took audiences by storm in the 1980s. While he was celebrated in the Hindustani fraternity, he was equally loved in the Carnatic world. His long-standing association with Mandolin U Srinivas, Ghatam Vidwan Vikku Vinayakram and Kanjira Selva Ganesh led to legendary musical collaborations.

Zakir was more than a tabla wizard. He was a fashion icon in his youth, a trendsetter and a consummate actor. You can watch him ace his part in films such as Heat and Dust (1983) and The Perfect Murder (1988). His wavy shoulder-length locks became a fashion statement and were emulated by many young musicians, whether it suited them or not! He became a household name acting in advertisements on Doordarshan, and no one can say ‘Wah Taj’ without thinking of his joyous smile, his bright eyes, and his hands that moved like lightning on the tabla.

Zakir was the epitome of old-school graces and tehzeeb. Unlike many conservative Muslim contemporaries of his generation, he never held any reservations when paying homage to revered spiritual masters from other faiths. Be it performing at the Ashram of Satya Sai Baba or visiting Udupi for the Darshan of lord Krishna. His familial upbringing ensured that he respected both Goddess Saraswati as well as Islamic prayers. Few knew of his staunch devotion towards Saint Tyagaraja. He even visited the Samadhi Mandir of the saint at Thiruvaiyaru, Tamil Nadu, and performed there at the annual Aradhana festival.

He was one of the few tabla artists who also wore the hat of being a composer with great finesse. He scored music for numerous musical productions and feature films. He composed three concertos, his third, the first-ever concerto for tabla and orchestra, premiered in 2015. When he was not busy with his concert tours and teaching, he kept a busy schedule recording and composing. The list of records is long and impressive, right from the gramophone era down to the audio cassette and then the digital era.

As a generous guru, he mentored some of the brightest young musicians of this generation. Be it tabla artists like Yogesh Samsi and Aditya Kalyanpur, sitar players like Niladri Kumar and even South Indian classical musicians like the violin-duo Ganesh-Kumaresh, Veena Vidushi Jayanthi Kumaresh, mridangam artist Anantha Krishnan and Ghatam Vidwan Giridhar Udupa. His students and disciples carry his legacy forward with much panache and responsibility. His own brothers Faisal and Taufeeq are also tabla artists.

In addition to several Grammy Awards, he was honoured by the government of India several times. The Central Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (1990) Padma Shri (1988), Padma Bhushan (2002) and the Padma Vibhushan (2023) awards came his way along with many more prestigious titles and recognitions. He carried all these lightly on his shoulders. When you met him, he made you feel at ease, even when you knew you were in the presence of a genius. He went out of his way to make you feel at home. Despite his global fame, he was a ‘Bombaywallah’ at heart and in spirit.

If you make a list of the world’s top ten maestros of rhythm and percussion in the 20th century, Zakir Hussain’s name will be included. As long as the tabla is played, his name will be celebrated for the exuberance of his rhythms and the grace of his persona.