Tabla maestro Ustad Zakir Hussain dies at 73 in San Francisco
Renowned tabla maestro Ustad Zakir Hussain passed away on December 15 at the age of 73 in a San Francisco hospital. His family confirmed that he died from idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, a chronic lung disease. Hussain was celebrated as a child prodigy and showed musical talent from a young age. He also acted in films and collaborated with notable Western musicians, including George Harrison and Allen Ginsberg. He held academic positions at Princeton and Stanford universities. Hussain was a key member of the fusion band Shakti, which reunited in 2020 and won a Grammy for their album "This Moment."