Indian tabla maestro Ustad Zakir Hussain admitted to US hospital with 'serious ailments'

Senior journalist Pervaiz Alam shared an update about Hussain's health condition quoting his family member on X when he wrote: "Ustad Zakir Hussain, Tabla player, percussionist, composer, former actor and the son of legendary Tabla player, Ustad Allah Rakha is not well. He’s being treated for serious ailments in a San Francisco hospital, USA, informed his brother-in-law, Ayub Aulia in a phone call with me."

"Aulia sahab, based in London, has requested Zakir’s followers to pray for his speedy recovery," he said.

In his illustrious career that spanned decades, Zakir Hussain was awarded the Padma Shri in 1988, the Padma Bhushan in 2002, and the Padma Vibhushan in 2023, by the Government of India.

He received three Grammys in February 2024.

In 1999, the Tabla maestro was awarded the United States National Endowment for the Arts' National Heritage Fellowship, the highest award given to traditional artists and musicians.

He is the son of tabla player Alla Rakha.