How did Zakir Hussain get the title of “Ustad”?

Late Ustad Zakir Hussain’s first successful performance was when he was merely 7-year-old which was a landmark in his journey of hard work.

In 1988, when the decision of awarding late Ustad Zakir Hussain title of Padma Shree was finalised, he was in the middle of a performance at St. Xavier’s college in Mumbai. He was accompanying late Pt. Ravi Shankar who was playing Sitar while guru and father Ustad Alla Rakha Khan sahab was sitting right in front of the stage among the audience. A source pointed out that someone whispered in Ustad Alla Rakha Khan’s ears about the good news and somehow he managed to enlighten Pt Ravi Shankar about the same. Soon after that, Pt. Ravi Shankar stopped playing and happily communicated to the audience about the news and for the first time he referred to Zahir Hussain as “Ustad”.  From that point of time, Zakir Hussain was popularly referred to as Ustad Zakir Hussain by one and all. While, Guru Alla Rakha Khan Saheb and Sitar Maestro Pandit Ravi Shankar were the biggest source of inspiration for Zakir ji, the seeds of passion for Tabla were sown right from his birth when his father and guru whispered rhythms in his ears when he was born instead of prayers.

It is a myth that children don’t take lessons from their own parents. However, there are numerous artists who were created by their own mother or father. Late Ustad Zakir Hussain is one of them who heard rhythms as soon as he was born and grew up watching his father and great Tabla Maestro late Ustad Alla Rakha Khan saheb’s riaz. He was indeed a dedicated worshipper and follower of his father. Zakir ji had once said in a media interview, “While a guru is like a fast flowing river, it is up to the disciple whether to grab a cup of water or a bucket of water from the river.” Late Zakir Hussain first aimed at being a good listener to his father’s riaz and performances of his guru and other Tabla Maestros.

There was an incident when his father took him to a concert of Sarod Maestro Ustad Ali Akbar Khan sahib at the Press Club in Churchgate. Zakirji was sitting behind his guru Ustad Alla Rakha Khan who was accompanying the Sarod performance. He suddenly turned to Zakirji and asked him if he would like to play. A seven-year-old child confidently replied asking, “Neki aur pooch pooch?” Ustad Alla Rakha Khan asked him whether he was familiar with “teentaal”. Zakirji quickly said yes and that set the ball rolling for an outstanding career ahead.

At the age of 7, Ustad Zakir Hussain Sahab gained the attention of many experts in the field, who would often visit his home and casually teach him pieces that added to his expertise. Right from that age, Zakirji was put into a discipline of starting riaz at 2 am every single morning that went on till 6 am for years together till he was almost 12 years old. Like any other typical mother who would care for the future of her boy, she would point out that young Zakir needed to wind up his riaz and he needed to go to school and his father would reply, “This is school for him. This is his future.”

However, his mother ensured that he took formal education despite his prime focus always being Tabla. Zakirji completed his schooling in Mumbai, and further pursued higher studies at St Xavier’s college in Mumbai and later at Seattle University in US in percussion and composition. Zakir ji always attributed his success to the focussed efforts put in by him under the guidance of his guru when he was a child. 

For a very long time, after Zakir Hussain ji was almost 12, his father and guru Ustad Alla Rakha Khan started travelling and couldn’t see his son for long. His guru was away for a long duration, however Zakir ji continued his learning exercises through various experiments, from attending random dance classes, accompanying sitar students and so on and so forth.

One day, Zakir Sahab was sleeping in his Mahim apartment, when his doorbell rang. Someone had come looking for his guru hoping that he would urgently agree to play for an impromptu concert. Zakirji’s mother very innocently replied that Khan saheb was not in India, but his son could attempt to fill in for him.

Zakir ji was suddenly prepared by his mother for the concert and they rushed to the venue in Dadar. He was 14 years old at that time. He ended up playing flawlessly for the senior Dagar brothers which was an unthinkable leap for a 14-year-old child.

This landmark event paved the way for what he is today. He left no stone unturned from working for Cinema, to accompanying great artists, to solo performances and also the Indo-western fusion music experiments with the likes of George Harrison and John McLaughlin that took the initiative of Pt Ravi Shankar to popularise Indian music on the global platform to newer heights.