Tabla maestro Ustad has passed away at the age of 73. The news of his demise has been doing rounds since yesterday. Now, his family has given an official statement about his demise. They said said he died on Sunday in San Francisco due to idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

His family shared a statement to NPR and said, “His prolific work as a teacher, mentor, and educator has left an indelible mark on countless musicians. He hoped to inspire the next generation to go further. He leaves behind an unparalleled legacy as a cultural ambassador and one of the greatest musicians of all time. He leaves behind an extraordinary legacy cherished by countless music lovers around the globe, with an influence that will resonate for generations to come. ”

They also shared that he has been hospitalized in San Francisco for the last two weeks due to heart related problems. is survived by his wife, Antonia Minnecola, his daughters, Anisa Qureshi and Isabella Qureshi. He also has two brothers, Taufiq Qureshi and Fazal Qureshi, and his sister, Khurshid Aulia.

It was declared yesterday that he passed away but his nephew, Ameer Aulia wrote on an unverified X handle that his uncle is alive and is in critical condition. The post read, “My uncle Zakir Hussain is very much alive. We ask the news media to stop posting false information. He is in a serious condition, and we urge his fans around the world to pray for his recovery.”

This left everyone confused but now the family has given their official statement to the media. After the news came out, many celebrities have been offering condolences. Amitabh Bachchan took to X and wrote, “T 5224 – .. a very sad day …” In his blog, “A genius .. an unmatched maestro ..an immeasurable loss ..Zakir Hussain .. has left us ..”

T 5224 – .. a very sad day ..?

— Amitabh Bachchan (@SrBachchan)

Kareena Kapoor Khan took to her Instagram to share a picture of her, Randhir Kapoor with Zakir Hussain. Malaika Arora, Sonali Bendre, Riddhima Kapoor Sahni, Ranveer Singh, Rahul Vaidya, Akshay Kumar also paid tributes on social media.

RIP, Zakir Hussain.

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