‘Wah Ustad, wah!’: Zakir Hussain, the icon

The music rooms are silent today.

Tabla maestro Ustad Zakir Hussain Allaraka Qureshi, popularly known as Zakir Hussain, passed away on Monday, December 16, in San Francisco. 

The 73-year-old was hospitalised for the past two weeks for lung complications, his family said in a statement.

Regarded as the global brand ambassador of Indian classical music, Hussain was nominated seven times for the Grammys—winning the award four times—making him the Indian musician with the highest number of Grammy wins after Pandit Ravi Shankar.

Earlier this year, at the 66th Annual Grammy Awards, Hussain became the first Indian musician to receive three awards—for Best Global Music Album, Best Global Music Performance, and Best Contemporary Instrumental Album. 

Despite his talents and the innumerable awards and accolades that backed it, Hussain remained grounded and oblivious to his greatness. Earlier this year, in an interaction with Rolling Stone India, Hussain said: “My father always insisted on the importance of being a good student. The moment you decide you are a maestro or a Ustad, you are distracting yourself from the others. You have to be a part of a group, and not dominate it.” 

Beyond music, Hussain became a household name in India for his appearance in the 20-year-long running commercial for The Brooke Bond Taj Mahal Tea, the iconic ‘Wah Taj’ advertisement.

Tributes flew in from around the globe, remembering the iconic tabla player, music composer, percussionist, music producer, and actor. 

“His iconic performances and soulful compositions will contribute to inspire generations of musicians and music lovers alike,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi wrote on X.

A star is born

Born in Mumbai on March 9, 1951, Hussain was the eldest son of Ustad Allah Rakha Qureshi—considered one of the greatest tabla players of all time. Following his father's footsteps, Hussain started playing the percussion instrument publicly at 7. 

He caught the attention of George Harrison of The Beatles fame, who invited Hussain—now a child prodigy at the age of 10—to play for Harrison's album, Living in the Material World.

The same year, he also played on American Jazz musician John Handy’s Hard Work album, and by 12 years, he was performing with the likes of Pandit Ravi Shankar and Ustad Ali Akbar Khan. 

In 1973, Hussain formed a fusion band, Shakti, combining Indian music with jazz, with renowned guitarist John McLaughlin, L Shankar, and TH Vinayakra. 

In 2016, former US President Barack Obama invited the maestro to the International Jazz Day All-Star Global Concert at the White House. Interestingly, Hussain firmly believed in performing only in places where “music should be heard,” and was against the idea of performing at corporate events, private gatherings, and weddings, as mentioned in Nasreen Munni Kabir’s book, Zakir Hussain: A Life in Music.  

Hussain was also the co-founder of the world music supergroup, Tabla Beat Science. 

Beyond the world of music 

Beyond his adventures with music, Hussain occasionally enjoyed stints in front of the camera. He debuted in Heat & Dust (1983), a movie based on the Booker Prize-winning novel of the same name. 

Later, Hussain was seen in the 1997 film Saaz—said to be the unofficial adaptation of the lives of the Mangeshkar sisters. Hussain played a young composer in the film—a character that seemed to be based on musician RD Burman. 

After his last Grammy win, Hussain returned to India to do concerts across Mumbai, Pune, and Bengaluru. In a media interaction, he had said, “It’s heartening to see a packed hall where I play. I think, there has been a listening renaissance all over the world.” 

The legend was also preparing for his As We Speak tour in January 2025. He mentioned that he was receiving offers to write for films, but things were yet to be finalised.

Thank you for the music, maestro!