Zakir Hussain alive, nephew refutes reports of Tabla maestro’s death 

ISLAMABAD: Renowned tabla maestro Zakir Hussain, 73, is alive, his nephew Ameer Aulia said late Sunday, dismissing reports that the musician had passed away in a San Francisco hospital due to heart-related complications. 

Several media outlets had earlier reported Hussain’s death, leading to an outpouring of condolences from politicians, celebrities, and fans on social media. However, Aulia, through an unverified account on the platform X, clarified that the reports were false and urged media outlets to remove the misinformation, MINT reported. 

“My uncle Zakir Hussain is very much alive. We request the news media to refrain from posting unverified information. We ask for prayers and everyone’s well-wishes,” Aulia wrote. In a subsequent post, he added that Hussain remains in a serious condition and appealed to fans worldwide for prayers.

Also read: Senior PML-N leader Siddiqul Farooq passes away  

Hussain, son of legendary tabla virtuoso Ustad Allah Rakha, has long been celebrated for elevating the tabla to global recognition. 

Journalist Parvaiz Alam, in a post on X, also refuted the reports, stating that Hussain’s family had not confirmed his death. “I checked with his brother-in-law in London at 1640 GMT on December 15. The family has not confirmed the news of his death as reported by some outlets,” Alam wrote. 

Hussain’s manager, Nirmala Bachani, said the musician has been grappling with blood pressure issues. 

Despite the clarification, prominent political figures, including Union Ministers Jyotiraditya Scindia and Nitin Gadkari, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, and opposition leader Rahul Gandhi, posted condolence messages on X before the reports were debunked. 

The premature announcements have once again underscored the need for caution in verifying sensitive news before publication.