'He was surrounded by loved ones': Family confirms Zakir Hussain's demise

Tabla maestro Zakir Hussain passed away early Monday morning in San Francisco US confirmed family representative The 73yearold multiple Grammy Award winner died due to idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis at 512 amI can confirm that Zakir passed away surrounded by family and loved ones at UCSF Parnassus Hussains family representative Jon Bleicher told mid day He is survived by his wife Antonia Minnecola his daughters Anisa Qureshi her husband Taylor Phillips and their daughter Zara and Isabella Qureshi his brothers Taufiq Qureshi and Fazal Qureshi and his sister Khurshid AuliaZakir Hussains family issues official statementThe familys official statement read He leaves behind an extraordinary legacy cherished by countless music lovers around the globe with an influence that will resonate for generations to come His prolific work as a teacher mentor and educator has left an indelible mark on countless musicians He hoped to inspire the next generation to go further The family requests privacy at this timeHussain was admitted to the hospital last week His health remained critical through Sunday night While several news outlets and government handles claimed at night itself that the maestro had passed away his sister Khurshid had spoken to midday that he was alive till he was breathingHussains historical collaborationsWidely considered a chief architect of the contemporary world music movement Zakir Hussainrsquos contributions were uniquely transformative His unique mastery of rhythm allowed him to cross borders freely and create authentic connection between different genres of music He participated in many historic collaborations including Shakti which he founded with John McLaughlin and L Shankar Remember Shakti Making Music The Diga Rhythm Band Planet Drum and Global Drum Project with Mickey Hart Tabla Beat Science and Sangam with Charles Lloyd and Eric Harland His performances and recordings include collaborations with artists as diverse as George Harrison YoYo Ma Joe Henderson Van Morrison Airto Moreira Pharoah Sanders Billy Cobham Alonzo King Mark Morris Rennie Harris and the Kodo drummers His extraordinary contributions to the music world were honored in April 2009 with four widely heralded soldout concerts at Carnegie Hallrsquos Artist Perspective seriesGlobally recognised legendZakir Hussainrsquos extraordinary global impact was recognized with the highest honors that can be given in the world of music His contributions ldquoto the cultural and spiritual betterment of mankindrdquo were acknowledged in 2022 with his awarding of the Kyoto Prize In India he received the Padma Vibhushan the Padma Bhushan and the Padma Shri He was also a recipient of the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award Indiarsquos most prestigious honor for performing artists and later the Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship a lifetime honor awarded to only 40 artists at a timeArtists mourn the loss of a legendCondolences have been pouring in since last night Prime Minister Narendra Modi actors Amitabh Bachchan and Kamal Haasan music maestro AR Rahman mourned the demise of the tabla legendDeeply saddened by the passing of the legendary tabla maestro Ustad Zakir Hussain Ji He will be remembered as a true genius who revolutionized the world of Indian classical music He also brought the tabla to the global stage captivating millions with his unparalleled rhythmhellipmdash Narendra Modi narendramodi December 16 2024T 5224 a very sad day mdash Amitabh Bachchan SrBachchan December 15 2024T 5224 a very sad day mdash Amitabh Bachchan SrBachchan December 15 2024His prolific work as a teacher mentor and educator has left an indelible mark on countless musicians He hoped to inspire the next generation to go further his family said in their statement