Biography of Zakir Hussain


Born: 9 March 1951, Mumbai

A classical Tabla virtuoso of the highest order, Ustad Zakir Hussain is responsible for bringing Tabla to the center stage. The favourite accompanist for many of India's greatest classical musicians and dancers, his consistently brilliant and exciting performances have not only established him as a national treasure in India but have also gained him worldwide fame.

Born on March 2, 1951, Zakir Hussain was trained by his father, Ustad Allah Rakha. He accompanied the renowned Sitar maestro, Pandit Ravi Shankar at a very young age. He has performed throughout the world as a soloist. He has also undergone training in Chinese, African and Indonesian music and has been active in the fusion of music from several countries, particularly drums and percussion. He has composed music for many films and has numerous albums to his credit. He has been teaching Tabla at many prestigious universities worldwide. He is the recipient of the Padma Shri and Sangeet Natak Academy Award.