Zakir Hussain passes away at 73: Bollywood celebrities mourn loss of tabla maestro

Renowned tabla maestro Ustad Zakir Hussain passed away on Sunday, December 15. The legendary musician had been receiving treatment for heart-related complications in the ICU of a San Francisco hospital for the past two weeks.

The cause of death was confirmed to be idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, a chronic lung disease. The news was confirmed by Jon Bleicher of Prospect PR, representing the family.

The demise of the Padma Vibhushan awardee has left the music world and his countless admirers in profound grief, with tributes and condolences pouring in from the film industry.

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Legendary musical composer AR Rahman took to X to offer his condolences over the passing of the tabla maestro.

"Zakir Bhai was an inspiration, a towering personality who elevated the tabla to global acclaim. His loss is immeasurable for all of us. I regret not being able to collaborate with him as much as we did decades ago, though we had planned an album together. You shall be truly missed. May his family and his countless students worldwide find the strength to bear this immense loss."

Film director and producer Madhur Bhandarkar offered his condolences to the family of Padma Vibhushan Zakir Hussain. Taking to his X handle, the 'Page 3' director wrote:

"Saddened to hear about the passing of the legendary tabla maestro, Padma Vibhushan Zakir Hussain sir. His extraordinary talent elevated Indian classical music to the world stage, making him a household name. My heartfelt condolences go out to his family and the millions of admirers."

Music composer Shamir Tandon expressed his gratitude to Ustad Zakir Hussain for putting India on the global map of the music industry through his tabla.

While sharing a beautiful portrait of Zakir Hussain during one of his performances on Instagram, Shamir Tandon wrote: "The bols of Zakir bhai's tabla have put us on the global music firmament many decades ago. Making Indian classical cool and youtifying the instrument - such Gargantuan contribution to art and culture. RIP Zakir bhai. Thank you for everything. Grateful."

Bollywood actor Ranveer Singh paid tribute to the tabla maestro by sharing his photo along with a red heart and folded hands emoji.

The three-time Grammy Award-winning musician, Ricky Kej was 'shocked' and 'deeply saddened' by the demise of the legend Ustad Zakir Hussain. He called him one of the greatest musicians which India has ever produced. Sharing a monochrome portrait of the singer on Instagram, Ricky Kej wrote:

"Shocked, deeply saddened and devastated by the passing-on of the legend Ustad Zakir Hussain. One of the greatest musicians and personalities India has ever produced. Along with being the best himself, Zakirji was known for his immense humility, approachable nature, and for being responsible for the careers of numerous musicians, who are now forces to reckon with themselves. He was a treasure trove of skill and knowledge and always shared and encouraged the entire music community through collaborations and his actions. His legacy will live on forever, and his influence will be felt for generations. He left us too soon."

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