Grammys omit Zakir Hussain from the ‘In Memoriam’

Indian music lovers were left disappointed and angry as the 67th Grammy Awards concluded with the ‘In Memoriam’ segment which didn’t pay tribute to Ustad Zakir Hussain

Mumbai: Fans of English songwriter Liam Payne shed tears as the Grammys aired an emotional tribute to the music sensation who was part of the band One Direction. The tribute, which was part of the award show’s annual In Memoriam segment, featured Coldplay heartthrob Chris Martin. The most prestigious music awards have an In Memoriam which honours musicians who have died in the previous year. But the absence of a tribute to India’s leading table maestro Ustad Zakir Hussain left fans of the award show angry and disappointed.

Zakir Hussain, besides winning numerous accolades over his illustrious career, is a four-time winner of the Grammy Awards, the very institution that omitted him from the annual tribute. In 2009, his album Global Drum Project won a Grammy. Over his career, Hussain, the older son of Ustad Allarakha Khanhad received seven Grammy nominations and won the award four times. His influence of western music and culture was immense, which made the exclusion of his name even more surprising.

Enraged fans took to social media to slam the Grammy Awards for ignoring the maestro who made India proud. Finding a mention in the In Memoriam segment is considered special because it honours the best and most influential musicians from the world over and eternalises their contribution.

Held in Los Angeles, the ceremony saw Coldplay’s Chris Martin leading the emotional segment, paying respects to icons like Liam Payne, Kris Kristofferson, Cissy Houston, Tito Jackson, Joe Chambers, Jack Jones, Mary Martin, Marianne Faithfull, Seiji Ozawa, and Ella Jenkins.