Ustad Zakir Hussain’s Death

• Ustad Zakir Hussain, one of India’s greatest cultural ambassadors, passed away on Monday after a brief illness in a San Francisco hospital.

• Hussain was known for his speed, dexterity, and creativity, making him one of the greatest musicians of all time.

• Hussain was born to tabla maestro Ustad Alla Rakha and had a natural affinity towards the thump of the tabla and the composite culture.

• His family confirmed his death from idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, a lung disease.

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi described Hussain as a “true genius” and described him as revolutionizing the world of Indian classical music.

• Hussain is survived by his wife, Kathak exponent, Antonia Minnecola, daughters, brothers and tabla players, and sister, Khurshid Aulia.