Sun Dec 15 18:56:13 UTC 2024: **Legendary Tabla Maestro Zakir Hussain Critically Ill in US Hospital**
SAN FRANCISCO – Renowned tabla player Zakir Hussain, a Grammy award-winning musician and one of India’s most celebrated classical artists, is critically ill in a San Francisco hospital due to serious heart problems, his family confirmed Sunday. Reports of his death circulating on social media and even briefly appearing on government accounts proved false.
Hussain’s sister, Khurshid Aulia, and nephew, Ameer Aulia, issued urgent pleas on social media for prayers, refuting the inaccurate death reports. They confirmed that Hussain is in the ICU and in a critical but stable condition. His manager, Nirmala Bachani, stated that he has been hospitalized for the past two weeks. Fellow musician Rakesh Chaurasia also expressed concern about Hussain’s condition.
The misinformation led to an outpouring of tributes from Indian officials, including Union Ministers and Chief Ministers, on X (formerly Twitter), before being retracted. The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting mistakenly reported his death before deleting the post.
Hussain, the son of legendary tabla player Allah Rakha, began his musical career at the young age of 13. His innovative fusion of Indian classical music with jazz, notably in his 1973 collaboration with John McLaughlin, L Shankar, and TH ‘Vikku’ Vinayakram, significantly influenced world music. He is a recipient of numerous awards, including the Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan, and the Padma Vibhushan.
The family continues to ask for prayers for Hussain’s recovery.
First Piper 