Mattannur Sankarankutty Marar, percussionist and Padma Shri recipient
I consider it my good fortune, a blessing, to have had the opportunity to perform with him. I am among the few, perhaps the only percussion artist, from Kerala to have had this privilege. I first met Zakirji in Thiruvananthapuram during the pre-production stage of ‘Vanaprastham’ (the National Award-winning film directed by Shaji N Karun). Zakirji composed its music. When Shaji and actor Mohanlal introduced me as a ‘chenda vidwan’, Zakirji expressed interest in seeing my Thayambaka [percussion]. I performed with my team, and Zakirji recorded it on a cassette.
That was the beginning of our friendship. The world knows the magic of his fingers, but what struck me most was his simplicity. Though I am four years younger, he used to address me as ‘Guruji’. In 2019, he organised a month-long performance tour in the US to mark his father’s centenary. He chose me as one of the performers. During that one month, we travelled across the US in a bus. I noticed his humility during that time — he never even let anyone carry his luggage.
Every day, he would step out of the hotel with his bag and tabla, always carrying those himself. Inspired, I began to do the same. His love for Kerala’s vadyam brought us together, and we performed on stage multiple times — chenda with tabla. It was a God-given opportunity. It breaks my heart to know that the world will never again witness his tabla magic, his loving personality, or his mesmerising presence on stage. It’s a loss beyond words.
Rakesh Chaurasia, flautist
I am truly devastated by the news that Ustad Zakir Hussain is no longer with us. I still cannot it. I spent the whole night hoping for a miracle. This is, without a doubt, one of the greatest losses to the music world. He was an extraordinary person. I have learned so much from him, about music and performing with him on stage. What stood out the most was his unwavering support for young artists, giving them a platform to showcase their talents.
He was an amazing human being, always willing to go out of his way to help others. The entire world will miss him deeply. His music, his personality, and his legacy will never be forgotten. The way he bid farewell — with grace and excellence in his performances — has left an indelible mark on everyone. He didn’t age into his later years in the public eye, and perhaps God had different plans for him. I can only hope his onward journey is even more pleasant. May he rest in peace.
Padma Subrahmanyam, Bharatanatyam exponent
The passing of Zakir Bhai the magical percussionist whom the entire world of music admired has created a sudden void in the field of music. He carried an unusual legacy and created a special niche for him as an unparalleled artiste and a great human being. His fingers danced on the tabla and emanated sounds of unusual resonance. I was fortunate that he played for my performance on January 1, 1988 at Krishna Gana Sabha.
Bickram Ghosh, classical tabla player
Till I was six, I grew up in the same house as Zakir Hussain. My parents were teachers at the Ali Akbar College of Music in the Bay Area of San Francisco. Zakir Bhai who shared a flat in one of the floors would babysit me. As an artiste he had the incredible quality of being able to play the subtlest and the most difficult parts of a composition with equal ease and also be able to communicate and connect with the audience at the same time as if it was a fun thing. He not only had the ability of interpretation, but he was also able to project it in a unique way…It’s performance art at the end of the day. He was also a true ambassador of India in every sense. In fact, he has taken the mantle from Ravi Shankar of being a musician on the global stage and made it his own. Zakir Hussain made the tabla cool.
Padma Subrahmanyam, Bharatanatyam exponent
The passing of Zakir Bhai — the magical percussionist whom the entire world of music admired — has created a sudden void in the field of music. He carried an unusual legacy and created a special niche for him as an unparalleled artiste and a great human being. His fingers danced on the tabla and emanated sounds of unusual resonance. I was fortunate that he played for my performance on January 1, 1988 at Krishna Gana Sabha.
Saswati Sen, disciple of Kathak guru Birju Maharaj
In February 2024 when Kalashram (Birju Maharaj’s dance institute in Delhi) instituted an award in his name, the first person we awarded was Ustad Zakir Hussain. Maharaj and Ustad were magic on stage, I have also done some solos with Zakir Bhai.
He was not only an ustad of the tabla, he was very versatile and could play western drums as well. He specialised in creating new sounds. He used to say that we need to look at rhythm visually. In his concerts he would talk of the legends of each gharana and played from each gharana on stage.
Prakash Ulliyeri, instrumentalist
I had the privilege of meeting Ustad Zakir Hussain several times. One of the most memorable occasions was while I Had performed with Hariharan and Shankar Mahadevan in Mumbai. Ustad was seated in the front row alongside the likes of British guitarist John McLaughlin aka ‘Mahavishnu’, mandolin ace U Srinivas, and percussionist V Selvaganesh. After the performance, he told me that I had played well. To this day, I consider it one of the highest recognitions I have ever received. I was told later by other musicians that he would ask about me. It felt like a dream that he remembered me. I feel fortunate to have lived in an era when Ustad Zakir Hussain graced the world.
Trichur brothers, carnatic musicians
There couldn’t be any music lover, classical or otherwise who wouldn’t have heard of Zakir Bhai as he was fondly addressed by fans. A rare blend of artistry, vidwat, charisma and humility, Zakir Hussain Saab’s name will forever shine in the world of music.
Dr Rajeswari Sainath, Bharatanatyam ace I’ve been fortunate to witness his artistry on and off stage for many years. It is phenomenal how Zakir Bhai could bring diverse styles of music in percussion, vocals, or theatrical aspects to one platform. He had the unique ability to bring out the best in artists and to create a harmonious experience. He was most known for his warmth. Zakir Bhai treated everyone with respect, making each show a shared celebration.
Peruvanam Kuttan Marar, percussionist and Padma Shri recipient
Zakirji was a great admirer of Kerala’s percussion art. I first met him in 1999 at the Keli Festival in Mumbai, where he presented me with the Promising Young Artist Award. Since then, he was like an elder brother to me. Like his father, Alla Rakha Master, Zakirji was an artist touched by divinity. In 2017, he performed in my village of Peruvanam. The way he captivated everyone with his tabla was unforgettable.
His fingers moved with such grace and momentum that it felt as though we were blessed to witness something divine. I last met him in December 2023 at the Keli Festival, where he was honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award. Mattannur Sankarankutty Marar and I had the privilege of presenting it to him. I recall how Zakirji conducted numerous experiments with the tabla, excelling in all of them. He treated every artist — big or small — with equal respect. His humility made him truly great.
L Subramaniam, violin maestro
I first met Zakir in the late 1970s during a US tour. In 1975, there was a major tour with Pandit Ravi Shankar and Ustad Alla Rakha, Zakir’s father. From then on, we collaborated frequently. One of the earliest Indian classical albums I recorded internationally, in Los Angeles, was with Zakir and my uncle Ramnad Raghavan. He was comfortable playing in a cross-cultural setup, whether it was North Indian classical or South Indian classical. He also effortlessly transitioned into fusion, working with legends like John McLaughlin in Shakti.
Zakir was a global musician with extraordinary knowledge, technique, and charisma. He was a versatile, open-minded and deep rooted musician and he cannot be replaced. He, in fact, elevated the tabla to a soloist’s instrument and redefined its stature. On our travels, his energy used to be infectious and we would do impromptu jugalbandis. He was accommodating and I always enjoyed his companionship. It is extremely sad to lose him.
Aditya Kalyanpur, tabla artist who featured in the ‘Wah Taj’ ad
I feel blessed to have had such a close relationship with Zakir bhai, as I called him. I was lucky to have studied with him from my childhood — a bond that goes beyond four decades. For me, he was more than a guru; he was like a father. He didn’t just teach me music he also taught me how to be humble, modest and kind to people as a way of life. These are rare qualities that we see in legendary figures. His passing is a monumental loss. Right now, I feel numb and lost, but I also know that Zakir bhai would want us to celebrate his life. He always taught us to honour those who pass on by carrying forward their legacy. As his disciple, I hope to contribute in my small way to keeping his great legacy alive.
‘Ghatam’ Umashankar, percussionist
From the time I was born in 1974, appa (Vikku Vinayakram) joined the Shakti band comprising John McLaughlin, L Shankar, Zakir Hussain, and Vinayakram with the help of L Shankar. Before the team went official, the four sat in a small room, one in each corner, taking reference pieces and practising. During that time, Zakirji taught many korvais (rhythmic patterns) to appa. That’s how much the team was dedicated to music. After going live, Shakti usually performed with the rock band The Beatles in many kutcheris. I have heard people say that The Beatles were no match for Shakti. They were famous, dedicated and thrived with the art form.
This Carnatic music brought a North Indian, Hindi-speaking Zakir Hussain closer to a Tamil man, Vikku Vinayakram. They were so inseparable that once Zakirji told us that if appa invited him to sit and play on a street, he would. He respected appa for the man he was and showed the same approach towards our family too. I played with him during his Masters of Percussion tour. I remember we were leaving Germany some seven years ago after a performance.
We were running to catch the train when I tripped and fell. He helped me. He said ‘Get on the train, I will carry all the instruments’. He lifted my two ghatam and his tabla and boarded the train. After that he asked me if I was fine, he offered me water and took good care of me. That was the man he was...so humble and grounded. The world has not lost a only great musician but also a great human being.
Inputs by: Darshita Jain, Krishna PS, Paramita Ghosh, Pooja Das, Shreya Veronica, Sonu M Kothari, Vennapusala Ramya