Zakir Hussain Biography: Age, Education, Awards, Family and Honours

Ustad Zakir Hussain is a renowned Indian tabla player, composer, and percussionist, famous for his contributions to Hindustani classical music and for his role in spreading Indian music across the world.

Early Life and Education

Ustad Zakir Hussain was born on March 9, 1951, in Mumbai, India. He is the son of the legendary tabla maestro Ustad Alla Rakha. His musical career began at a tender age. He was just seven when he started playing the tabla and, at twelve, already gave his first concerts.. He pursued his education at St. Michael's High School and later graduated from St. Xavier's College in Mumbai. Hussain also earned a doctorate in music from the University of Washington.

Net Worth

Ustad Zakir Hussain is a legendary tabla maestro. He has made an unforgettable mark in the world of music. Therefore, his financial prosperity is directly proportional to his brilliance and dedication. As of December 2024, his net worth is estimated to be around USD 1 million, or Rs 84,809,500.

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Musical Career

Zakir Hussain's career is replete with work with Indian and international artists alike. He achieved much prominence in the 1970s touring the United States, giving over 150 concerts each year. His fresh approach to music led him to collaborate with many different musicians from multiple genres and styles, jazz and world music.

In 1991, he collaborated with drummer Mickey Hart on the album Planet Drum, which won a Grammy Award. He has received multiple Grammy nominations throughout his career and won several awards, including three Grammys in February 202424. Hussain was also involved in composing music for significant events, such as the opening ceremony of the Summer Olympics in Atlanta in 1996.

Awards and Recognition

Zakir Hussain has been rewarded with a long list of prestigious awards:

• Padma Shri (1988)
• Padma Bhushan (2002)
• Padma Vibhushan (2023)
• Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (1990) and Fellowship (2018)
• National Heritage Fellowship from the U.S. National Endowment for the Arts (1999)
  
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Zakir Hussain, the renowned tabla maestro, passed away on December 15, 2024, at 73 in a hospital in San Francisco. His family confirmed that he died due to complications arising from idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, a chronic lung condition that leads to progressive scarring of lung tissue. Hussain had been hospitalized for two weeks before his death and was moved to the ICU as his health deteriorated

#ZakirHussain, one of the world’s most transcendent musicians, has passed away at the age of 73 - confirms Jon Bleicher of Prospect PR, representing the family. pic.twitter.com/Hkrm5xkrqK

— ANI (@ANI) December 16, 2024

Grammy Awards

• Zakir Hussain has won five Grammy Awards, including three single night at the 66th Annual Grammy Awards in February 2024, making him the first Indian musician to achieve this feat. The awards included:

• Best Global Music Performance for Pashto
• Best Contemporary Instrumental Album for As We Speak
• Best Instrumental Composition for Motion 

International Recognition

• He is widely recognized as a leading figure in the contemporary world music movement, having collaborated with prominent artists across genres, including Mickey Hart, John McLaughlin, Charles Lloyd, and Herbie Hancock.

Sangeet Natak Akademi Awards

• He was awarded the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 1990 and became a Fellow of the Sangeet Natak Akademi in 2019, a rare distinction for artists in India.

Compositions and Concertos

• Hussain has composed music for numerous films and major events, including three concertos, with his third concerto being the first-ever tabla concerto performed by an orchestra, premiered by the Symphony Orchestra of India in 2015.

Educational Contributions

• As an educator, he conducts workshops and lectures globally, including at prestigious institutions like Princeton University and Stanford University. He has also been involved in community outreach through his workshops in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Lifetime Achievement Awards

• He received the Lifetime Achievement Award from SFJazz in 2017, recognizing his unparalleled contributions to music.
  
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Kyoto Prize Laureate

• In 2022, he was awarded the prestigious Kyoto Prize in Arts and Philosophy, acknowledging his significant contributions to cultural enrichment 

He was even invited to the White House by former President Barack Obama in 2016 for an All-Star Global Concert, marking him as the first Indian musician to receive such an invitation.

Personal Life

Hussain is married to Antonia Minnecola, a Kathak dancer and his manager. They have two daughters: Anisa Qureshi, a filmmaker, and Isabella Qureshi.

Zakir Hussain's legacy continues to inspire countless musicians worldwide, bridging traditional Indian music with contemporary forms and fostering cultural exchange through his art.

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