Remembering Zakir – The Hindu

The topics ranged from his sheer genius to his global vision, from how he played with renowned maestros to how he encouraged younger musicians, from his respect for tradition to his willingness to change. For two days, family members, musicians and admirers talked about the deep and enduring impact tabla maestro Ustad Zakir Hussain had on their lives.

It’s been a year since Zakir passed away in San Francisco. On his barsi, the National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA), Mumbai, organised ‘Maestro Forever’, a series of activities on December 14 and 15 to pay homage to the legend and celebrate his life. A day earlier, on December 13, the Citi Aadi Anant concert paid tribute through the recital ‘All In The Family’ by kanjira maestro V. Selvaganesh and ghatam player Umashankar, sons of ghatam great Vikku Vinayakram. They were joined on the tabla by Aditya Kalyanpur.

As one entered the campus, one saw a huge hoarding with Zakir’s quote, “The guru shows the way, but the path is yours to walk.” Zakir himself had chosen many paths, using the common vehicle of rhythm.

Some musicians remembered his contribution through concerts. The performers included sarod maestro Amjad Ali Khan and his sons Amaan and Ayaan, tabla exponent Anindo Chatterjee and his son Anubrata, vocalist Ajoy Chakraborty, sitar player Shahid Parvez, violinist Kala Ramnath and tabla artiste Anuradha Pal.

The evening sessions featured musicians who had played with Zakir. The opening day had Crosscurrents, with saxophonist Chris Potter, bassist Dave Holland, pianist Louiz Banks, guitarist Sanjay Divecha and drummer Gino Banks, who were joined by tabla exponents Fazal Qureshi and Yogesh Samsi, bassist Sheldon D’Silva and drummer Ranjit Barot.

The event’s biggest attraction, arguably, was the performance by the members of pioneering Indo-fusion group Shakti, led by the charismatic guitarist John McLaughlin. At 84, the virtuoso displayed his characteristic charm and warmth during the rehearsals and while addressing the media. He said, “Zakir and I became friends in 1969, and from that moment, he became a part of my life. I wouldn’t be who I am today without him.” He was joined by vocalist Shankar Mahadevan, violinist Ganesh Rajagopalan and Selvaganesh in a 90-minute set, where they played Shakti numbers such as ‘Giriraj Sudha’, ‘Ma No Pa’ and ‘Shrini’s Dream’. A concert featuring leading Indian percussionists rounded off the event.

Zakir’s family paid tribute through talks and presentations. His wife Antonia Minnecola and daughters Anisa and Isabella conducted a session on the maestro’s association with dance. Antonia also said Zakir dreamt of forming his own institute. She said, “We were able to make that a reality, even though the non-profit status was finalised only in March this year. I also have thousands of hours of videotapes of Zakir teaching over the past 30 years or so. A lot of archiving needs to be done.”

Other talks focussed on how Zakir influenced the younger generation of tabla players, his role as a pioneer in fusion music, his involvement with jazz and his interaction with Carnatic musicians. The screening of films by Sumantra Ghosal was another highlight. An exhibition of Zakir’s photographs by Dayanita Singh will be on view at the Dilip Piramal Art Gallery till February 3, 2026.

The tributes didn’t stop in Mumbai, as musicians Zubin Balaporia and Ranjit Barot have planned a special event ‘Ustad’ at the Serendipity Arts Festival in Goa on December 16.