Consistently brilliant and exciting performer, Zakir Hussain has not only established himself as a national treasure in his own country but throughout the world. Widely considered a chief architect of the contemporary world music movement, Zakir`s contribution to world music has been unique. His playing is marked by uncanny intuition and masterful improvisational dexterity, founded in formidable knowledge and study.

Ustad Zakir Hussain son of tabla player Ustad Alla Rakha, leading tabla artist of his time, was born on 9th March 1951. Zakir was touring by the age of twelve. He did his schooling in St. Michael`s High School in Mahim. He completed his graduation from St Xaviers, Mumbai. He has one late sister, Razia, and two younger brothers, Fazal Qureshi and youngest Taufiq Qureshi. He also has another sister named Khursheed who is married and is now settled in London. Zakir is married to noted Kathak Dancer and student of Sitara Devi, Antonia Minnecola, an Italian American. Minnecola had earlier worked as Hussain`s manager. His two daughters, Anisa Qureshi and Isabella Qureshi, are also studying in the field of arts. Anisa graduated from UCLA and is in filmmaking and video production. His second daughter Isabella is studying in Manhattan as a dance major.

A child prodigy, Zakir came to the United States in 1970, embarking on an international career, which includes no fewer than 150 concert dates a year. He has composed and recorded many albums and soundtracks, and has received widespread recognition as a composer for his many ensembles and historic collaborations.

Zakir has worked with many western and Indian artists, and has produced many works for fusion, perhaps most notably with The Beatles. In 1971 he recorded with an American psychedelic band called Shanti. Zakir Hussain with many historic collaborations including `Shakti`, which he founded with John McLaughlin in 1975 and L. Shankar the `Diga Rhythm Band`, `Making Music`, `Planet Drum` with Mickey Hart on his `Rolling Thunder` album (on which he and his father played a tabla duet), and recordings and performances with artists as diverse as George Harrison, Joe Henderson, Van Morrison, Jack Bruce, Tito Puente, Pharoah Sanders, Billy Cobham, the Hong Kong Symphony and the New Orleans Symphony contributed the world of music with his uniqueness. Although Shakti was disbanded a few years later, it reunited under the name `Remember Shakti`.

In 1987, "Making Music", his first solo release which was acclaimed as "one of the most inspired East-West fusion albums ever recorded." In 1988, awarded the title of "Padma Shri" by the Indian government, a title given to civilians of merit made him the youngest percussionist to ever be. In 1990, he was awarded the Indo-American Award in recognition for his outstanding cultural contribution to relations between the United States and India. In April 1991, the President of India, making him one of the youngest musicians to receive this recognition from India`s governing cultural institute, presented him with the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award.

In 1992, `Planet Drum`, an album co-created and produced by Zakir and Mickey Hart, was awarded a Grammy for Best World Music Album, the Downbeat Critics Poll for Best World Beat Album and the NARM Indie Best Seller Award for World Music Recording. Planet Drum, with Zakir as music director, toured nationally in 1996 and 1997. Zakir continues to tour with the musicians from Shakti - John McLaughlin, Shankar and T.H. Vinayakram - in different collaborations and ensembles as well as lead various percussion ensembles of his own design. In Summer`99, Shakti re-grouped for an international tour. Zakir is the recipient of the 1999 National Heritage Fellowship, the United States` most prestigious honor for a master in the traditional arts.

In 1992, Zakir founded Moment. Records which features original collaborations in the field of contemporary world music, as well as live concert performances by great masters of the classical music of India. The label presents Zakir`s own world percussion ensemble, The Rhythm Experience, both North and South Indian classical recordings, Best of `Shakti`, and a Masters of Percussion series.

In 1992, Zakir founded live concert performances by masters of the classical music of India. The label presents Zakir`s own world percussion ensemble, The Rhythm Experience, both North and South Indian classical recordings, Best of Shakti, and a Masters of Percussion series. He has recorded and performed with artists as diverse as George Harrison, Ali Akbar Khan, Ravi Shankar, Aashish Khan, Vasant Rai, Imrat Khan, Joe Henderson, Van Morrison, Jack Bruce, Tito Puente, Pharoah Sanders, Billy Cobham, Charles Lloyd, the Hong Kong Symphony and the New Orleans Symphony. Zakir received the distinct honor of co-composing the opening music for the Summer Olympics in Atlanta, 1996, and was commissioned to compose music for San Francisco`s premiere contemporary ballet company, Lines, and to compose an original work for the San Francisco Jazz Festival, both in 1998. He has received numerous grants and awards, including participation in the Meet the Composer programs funded by the Pew Memorial Trust. Most recently, he has composed soundtracks for the films In Custody, Ismail Merchant`s directorial debut, Little Buddha by Bernardo Bertolucci, for which Zakir composed, performed and acted as Indian music advisor and "Vanaprastham", chosen to be screened at the Cannes Film Festival in May 1999.

Zakir is a founding member of Bill Laswell`s `World Music Supergroup` Tabla Beat Science. He was a visiting professor at Princeton University for one semester in 2006, as well as a visiting professor at Stanford University for a quarter in 2007. Zakir starred in the excellent documentary "The Speaking Hand: Zakir Hussain and the Art of the Indian Drum" (2003 Sumantra Ghosal) and the 1998 documentary "Zakir and His Friends". Zakir participates in the Silk Road collaborative musical project. Awarded the title of Padma Bhushan by the Indian government in 2002 for his contributions to the field of Indian music.

He has composed and recorded many albums and soundtracks, and has received widespread recognition as a composer for his many ensembles and historic collaborations.