Shakti Artists Remember Ustaad Zakir Hussain
Zakir Hussain's Shakti group fellow bandmates and collaborators shared their tributes on the occasion of his first death anniversary.
By : DC Correspondent
Update: 2025-12-13 07:44 GMT
The world of music continues to mourn the loss of tabla maestro Ustad Zakir Hussain, whose passing in December 2024 marked the end of an era. A revolutionary artist who carried Indian rhythms to the global stage, Hussain was the emotional core of the legendary fusion band Shakti. His fellow bandmates and collaborators shared their tributes, remembering a man whose artistry, generosity, and spirit transformed lives and redefined musical collaboration.
British guitarist John McLaughlin, founding member of Shakti and one of Hussain’s closest collaborators, spoke with profound emotion about their decades-long friendship. “I’m very happy to be here. If I start talking about Zakir, I wouldn’t know where to stop. There is a lifetime of memories, music, and gratitude. We became friends back in 1969, and from that moment on, he became a part of my life. I wouldn’t be who I am today without him. You cannot describe his talent. You cannot describe Ustaad, he was beyond words.”
Vocalist and longtime Shakti member Shankar Mahadevan echoed that sense of disbelief and loss. “We have done countless press conferences, but I still can’t believe we are here today for a memorial. He touched our hearts in ways that changed us forever. He found us, he discovered us, and today we feel like lost musicians without him. Shakti is a 50-year-old band, and he reshaped the way we look at music. We are trying to stay strong, but his energy, his eyes, the way he could read our minds—that was magic. Being part of Shakti with him is an experience that transformed our lives.”
For percussionist V. Selvaganesh, Hussain’s presence feels eternal. “I feel like I am without my right hand today. But from my perspective, I won’t miss him, because he is still here. He was not a normal human being; he was an avatar. I can still feel him playing.”
Tabla maestro Taufiq Qureshi recalled Hussain’s philosophy of joy over sorrow. “Zakir bhai always said: do not mourn—celebrate. So we will celebrate him and his music. My heartfelt thanks to John-ji and the entire Shakti family. His name itself means Zikar, so let’s fill the world with the remembrance of his music.”
The National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA) will mark the first death anniversary of Zakir Hussain with a two-day global event on December 14 and 15. The tribute will bring together nearly 50 national and international artists for performances, lecture-demonstrations, talks, a photo exhibition tracing Hussain’s journey, and documentary screenings. The line-up includes luminaries such as John McLaughlin, Louis Banks, Dave Holland, Rajagopalan, Ranjit Barot, V. Selvaganesh, Shankar Mahadevan, Chris Potter, Sanjay Divecha, Gino Banks, Ajoy Chakrabarty, Amjad Ali Khan and Rakesh Chaurasia.