Zakir Hussain

Zakir Hussain is a famous Grammy Award winning Indian player.  (BCCL/Saatish Jaiswal)

Zakir is widely considered as the world's best tabla player. He has also won national as well as international awards and recognitions for his contribution to the world of music. (BCCL/Saatish Jaiswal)

Zakir was born in Bombay to the well known tabla player Ustad Alla Rakha in India.  (BCCL/Saatish Jaiswal)

Zakir attended St. Michael's High School in Mahim, and graduated from St Xaviers, Mumbai  (BCCL/Saatish Jaiswal)

Zakir has composed and recorded many albums and soundtracks, and has received widespread recognition as a composer for his many ensembles and collaborations.  (BCCL/Saatish Jaiswal)

Zakir has composed soundtracks for the films 'In Custody' and 'The Mystic Masseur' directed by 'Ismail Merchant', Bernardo Bertolucci's 'Little Buddha'

Zakir received the distinct honor of co-composing the opening music for the Summer Olympics in Atlanta, 1996.  (BCCL/Saatish Jaiswal)

Zakir was commissioned to compose music for Alonzo King's Lines Ballet, and to compose an original work for the San Francisco Jazz Festival, both in 1998 (BCCL/Saatish Jaiswal)

Zakir has received numerous grants and awards, including participation in the Meet the Composer programs funded by the Pew Memorial Trust and an Izzie for his composition for Lines Ballet.  (BCCL/Saatish Jaiswal)

Zakir 's commissioned work for choreographer Mark Morris's 'Kolam' premiered as part of Yo Yo Ma's Silk Road Project”with Yo Yo and Zakir performing together live for the performance.  (BCCL/Saatish Jaiswal)

Zakir is a founding member of Bill Laswell's 'World Music Supergroup' Tabla Beat Science.  (BCCL/Saatish Jaiswal)

Zakir was a visiting professor at Princeton University for one semester in 2006, as well as a visiting professor at Stanford University for a quarter in 2007.  (BCCL/Saatish Jaiswal)

Zakir composed, performed and acted as Indian music advisor for Vaanaprastham, which took place at the Cannes Film Festival in 1999.  (BCCL/Saatish Jaiswal)

Zakir starred in the documentary 'The Speaking Hand: Zakir Hussain and the Art of the Indian Drum' and the 1998 documentary 'Zakir and His Friends'.  (BCCL/Saatish Jaiswal)

Zakir participates in the Silk Road collaborative musical project  (BCCL/Saatish Jaiswal)

Zakir teaches Tabla to advanced students in both San Francisco and Mumbai.  (BCCL/Saatish Jaiswal)

Zakir participates in the Global Drum Project with percussionists from around the world.  (BCCL/Saatish Jaiswal)

Zakir is married to Antonia Minnecola, a Kathak dancer and a teacher.  (BCCL/Saatish Jaiswal)

Awarded the titles of Padma Bhushan in 2002, and Padma Shri, in 1988, becoming the youngest percussionist to be awarded these, given to civilians of merit, by the Indian government.  (BCCL/Saatish Jaiswal)

Zakir Hussain won the Grammy in the Contemporary World Music Album category for his collaborative album 'Global Drum Project' along with Mickey Hart. (BCCL/Saatish Jaiswal)

Awarded the Indo-American Award in 1990 in recognition for Zakir's outstanding cultural contribution to relations between the United States and India.  (BCCL/Saatish Jaiswal)

Presented with the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 1991 by the President of India, making Zakir one of the youngest musicians to receive this recognition from India's governing cultural institute.  (BCCL/Saatish Jaiswal)

Zakir was touring by the age of twelve. Zakir went to the United States in 1970, embarking on an international career which includes no fewer than 160 concert dates a year.

Tabla maestro Ustad Zakir Hussain performs at Saptak Music festival in Ahmedabad. (Photo/Vijay Soneji)

Tabla maestro Ustad Zakir Hussain performs at Saptak Music festival in Ahmedabad. (Photo/Vijay Soneji)  (BCCL)

Tabla maestro Zakir Hussain performs at a convert in Chennai on Thursday, June 26, 2008. (Photo/K.S.Prakaash) (BCCL)

Tabla maestro Zakir Hussain performs at a concert in Chennai on Thursday, June 26, 2008. (Photo/K.S.Prakaash) (BCCL)

Tabla maestro Zakir Hussain performs in a concert in Chennai on Thursday, June 26, 2008. (Photo/K.S.Prakaash) (BCCL)

Tabla maestro Zakir Hussain performs as part of Republic day at Hotel Ashoka in Bangalore. (Photo/Mohammed Asad)  (BCCL)

Zakir Hussain in his elements during the recital at the Saptak 2008 Music Festival in Kashiram Bhavan in Ahmedabad. (Photo/Bhadresh Gajjar) (BCCL)

Zakir Hussain, the Tabla maestro mood goes to play a piano after the press announcement of his father Ustad Allarakha on his 8th barsi with his brothers and various artists and from all over India and USA to perform at Shanmukhanada hall in Mumbai. (Photo/Sanjay Hadkar) (BCCL)

Tabla maestro Ustad Zakir Hussain performing with Sarod maestro Ustad Amjad Ali Khan at a concert in Bangalore. (Photo/Chethan Shivakumar)  (BCCL)