Zakir Hussain Death: Remembering The Tabla Maestro Through His Last Instagram Post

The world of music is mourning the loss of Zakir Hussain, a legendary tabla virtuoso. He passed away at 73 in a San Francisco hospital. Reports indicate that Zakir had been unwell for some time and was hospitalised for two weeks. His cause of death was idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. Zakir leaves behind his wife, Antonia Minnecola, a former Kathak dancer, and their daughters, Anisa and Isabella Qureshi.

Initially, there was confusion about Zakir's passing. His nephew, Ameer Aulia, tweeted to clarify that Zakir was still alive but in serious condition. Ameer requested prayers for his uncle's health and urged the removal of misinformation. However, it was later confirmed that Zakir passed away around 4 p.m., San Francisco time.

Following the news of his death, Zakir's final Instagram post gained significant attention online. In this post, he shared a video capturing the vibrant colours of autumn leaves with his voice expressing awe at nature's beauty. He captioned it as "Just sharing a wonder moment".

Social media platforms have been flooded with tributes from Bollywood celebrities mourning Zakir Hussain's passing. AR Rahman expressed his sorrow on Twitter: "Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji'un. Zakir Bhai was an inspiration, a towering personality who elevated the tabla to global acclaim. His loss is immeasurable for all of us. I regret not being able to collaborate with him as much as we did decades ago, though we had planned an album together. You shall be truly missed. May his family and his countless students worldwide find the strength to bear this immense loss". Kamal Hassan also tweeted: "Zakir Bhai ! He left too soon. Yet we are grateful for the times he gave us and what he left behind in the form of his art. Goodbye and Thank you".