Looking around at the sea of faces before him, Ustad Zakir Hussain asked, 'What's wrong? Why is everyone so silent? Talk to me. You're here to meet me, aren't you?' In that instant, I realised that I wasn't alone in my awe-inspired silence.
Tabla maestro Ustad Zakir Hussain died at a hospital in San Francisco, his family said on Monday.
Seeing a certain tousle-headed gentleman standing in the queue, I was both astonished and elated. My happiness radiated on my face and words suddenly deserted me.
Only a great person like him could be so encouraging to an ordinary musician, says drummer Ramesh Venkat.
The maestro of Indian classical music and a global ambassador of tabla, Ustad Zakir Hussain passed away at the age of 73 from idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis
The eulogies will pour for Ustad Zakir Hussain. There will be those who recount his genius, his enterprise, his achievements, his grace, and his charm. I have no selfies or autographs to remember him by, but I will never forget his most generous and gracious gift to me -- one day in heaven, among the celestial ensemble of Indian music.
Ustad Zakir Hussain was laid to rest on Thursday at a San Francisco cemetery as renowned percussionist A Sivamani and other artistes performed on their drums at a little distance away in a tribute to the tabla maestro.
Tabla maestro Ustad Zakir Hussain and singer Hariharan performed ghazals alongside Ustad Ghulam Mustafa Khan's grandson Faiz Mustafa Khan.
'Zakir bhai always said, 'koi chala nahi jata hai', he believed even after death, you left something of yourself behind and he has left so much of himself behind.'
Catch the legends live in concert as they celebrate 40 years of their music collaboration at the Nehru Centre Auditorium in Worli.
Eight years ago, tabla maestro Zakir Hussain had narrated how his father Alla Rakha had welcomed him into this world by putting the musical instrument's rhythms into his ears when asked to recite prayers.
'It's almost like the tissue of the lung has a cancer spreading to it, which is causing scarring and rapidly progresses.'
Samajwadi Party patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav is among six personalities chosen for this year's Padma Vibhushan.
The maestro of Indian classical music and a global ambassador of tabla, Ustad Zakir Hussain passed away at the age of 73 from idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis
The duo performed at the Town Hall in NYC
'We played at Zakir's request. It was an amazing experience for me playing with a famous tabla player's son.'
Zakir Hussain was the maestro of tabla, percussionist, composer and even actor -- a legend who was India's very own and yet belonged to the world. Hussain died from 'idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis', a lung disease, in a San Francisco hospital early Monday. He was 73.
'The security guards at the stadium did not recognise him. He kept saying he was Zakir Hussain but they did not permit him to enter.' 'Zakir bhai was calm and told me it is not their fault. They were doing their job.'
Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis, the condition that led to the death of tabla maestro Zakir Hussain, is an extremely debilitating disease -- a virtual death sentence.
'When he played his inner light shone so bright! His joy embraced us all... we experienced divinity.'
Mohini Dey can't vote yet, but she has already performed with greats like Ustad Zakir Hussain and British Indian producer Nitin Sawhney. The young bassist from Mumbai is being seen as India's answer to Tal Wilkenfeld, and the next big thing in music. This is her story.
Ustad Zakir Hussain's story will be told in a thousand ways by each person who met him, loved him, spent time with him, got to know him and shared some precious time off stage with him, says Maanveer Singh.
Speaking from his workshop at Kanjurmarg in Mumbai, Vhatkar said he last met the 73-year-old tabla maestro in August this year in Mumbai.
'When there was a match, he would be up all night watching it on his laptop with Kishori Amonkarji singing on the side.'
Noted Indian musicians came together to pay tribute to Ustad Alla Rakha on his 15th death anniversary.
'The balance Zakir Bhai created between rhythm and execution...his maths during his performances were perfect, and yet he was a fountain of improvisation.'
He was a formidable musician but seemed utterly human, a Peter Pan who wore his genius with deceptive lightness. Sandip Roy remembers Ustad Zakir Hussain.
Dr Lancelot Pinto, senior respirologist, P D Hinduja Hospital, Mumbai, provides key facts on this difficult disease from which Ustad Zakir Hussain died on Sunday.
Like his countless admirers, Durga Dominic was heartbroken when the incomparable Ustad Zakir Hussain left us to play wonderful concerts in the heavens.
'I never imagined that a band from where I have learnt my music and my musical aesthetics would be the band with whom I would eventually perform and win a Grammy.'
'I am extremely happy that I am bringing Grammy to my country. Hope I continue making India proud with my work.'
Kolkata native Manasi Ghosh, 24, has been declared the winner of Indian Idol 15. She takes home the trophy and a Rs 25 lakh prize money.
Legendary radio personality Ameen Sayani passed into the ages on February 20. His mortal remains were kept at Mumbai's Famous Studio, where admirers arrived to say their final goodbyes.
A 100-year-old freedom fighter from Goa, a Dhak player from West Bengal who trained 150 women in the male-dominated field, and India's first woman puppeteers are among 30 unsung heroes who were awarded Padma Shri on Republic Day. Libia Lobo Sardesai, who played an important role in Goa's freedom movement, cofounded an underground radio station -- 'Voz da Liberdabe (Voice of Freedom)' -- in a forested area in 1955 to rally people against the Portuguese rule. She has been awarded the Padma Shri by the President on the occasion of 76th Republic Day. Also among the awardees is Gokul Chandra Dey, a 57-year-old Dhak player from West Bengal who broke the gender stereotype by training 150 women in the male-dominated field. Dey also created a lightweight Dhak type, 1.5 kg less than the conventional instrument, and represented India at various international platforms and performed with Maestros like Pandit Ravi Shankar and Ustad Zakir Hussain. A vocal advocate of woman empowerment, 82-year-old Sally Holkar transformed once dying Maheshwari craft and founded Handloom school in Maheshwar, Madhya Pradesh, to give training in traditional weaving techniques. Born in America and Inspired by Rani Ahilyabai Holkar's legacy, she devoted five decades of her life to revitalise 300-year-old weaving legacy. She has also been awarded Padma Shri.
'I will always cherish the fact that I received the first big award of my life, actually two, in the company of legends for an incredible collaboration.'
One of Debashish Bhattacharya's most remarkable contributions is that he has taken the scope and foundation of the slide guitar, improvised it again and again, thereby designing and creating four entirely new guitars.
Ustad Zakir Hussain gets candid.
Tabla pioneer Ustad Zakir Hussain presents a series of concerts at Carnegie Hall.
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