Tabla Maestro Zakir Hussain No More; Know About His Wife, Daughters

Revered tabla artist Zakir Hussain passed away on December 15, after a battle with heart-related problems, reports said. He was 73. His friend, flautist Rakesh Chaurasia, shared that he was admitted to the ICU of a San Francisco hospital. His sister, Khurshid Aulia told the Press Trust of India, "He passed away very peacefully after the ventilation machine was switched off. This was 4 pm San Francisco time."

A Legendary Musician

Zakir Hussain was born on March 9, 1951, in Mumbai. He was the son of renowned tabla master Ustad Alla Rakha. He started playing tabla at the young age of seven and collaborated with numerous globally cherished performers in his career spanning six decades. 

Hussain performed with Indian musicians like Ravi Shankar, Ali Akbar Khan and Shivkumar Sharma. Internationally, he played with iconic artists like Yo-Yo Ma, Charles Lloyd, Bela Fleck, and Mickey Hart, bringing Indian classical music to the global spotlight.

Hussain received four Grammy Awards in his career, including three earlier this year. He also received the Padma Shri in 1988, the Padma Bhushan in 2002, and the Padma Vibhushan in 2023. His biography Zakir Hussain: A Life in Music by Nasreen Munni Kabir was published in 2018.

Hussain's family said in a statement, "He leaves behind an extraordinary legacy cherished by countless music lovers around the globe, with an influence that will resonate for generations to come." He is survived by his wife, Antonia Minnecola, and daughters, Isabella and Anisa.

More About Zakir Hussain's Family

Zakir Hussain's Italian-American wife, Antonia Minnecola is a Kathak dancer and teacher and was also his manager. The couple met in the Bay Area of California in the late 1970s, when she was still training in the dance form. They have two daughters, Anisa Qureshi and Isabella Qureshi.

Anisa Qureshi is a filmmaker who graduated from the prestigious University of California, Los Angeles. Some of her works include 3:10 to Yuma (2007), Mr. Woodcock (2007) and Just Like Heaven (2005). Her younger sister, Isabella Qureshi is studying dance in Manhattan.