Dr Zakir Husain Biography: The Indian educationist and politician Zakir Husain Khan (8 February 1897 – 3 May 1969) served as the third president of India from 13 May 1967 until his demise on 3 May 1969.
Husain attended Etawah, the Muhammadan Anglo-Oriental College in Aligarh, and the University of Berlin for his doctorate in economics. He was a founding member of Jamia Milia Islamia, where he held the position of Vice-chancellor from 1926 to 1948. He was the chairman of the Basic National Education Committee, which formulated the Nai Talim policy, which emphasised free and mandatory education in the native language.
Early Years and Education
Husain was born in Hyderabad in 1897 and is of Afridi Pashtun descent; his ancestors settled in the town of Qaimganj in the modern Uttar Pradesh district of Farrukhabad. His father, Fida Husain Khan, settled in Hyderabad in 1892 after establishing a successful legal career in the Deccan. Husain was the third of Fida Khan and Nazrin Begum’s seven offspring. He was homeschooled in the Quran, Persian, and Urdu, and it is believed that he attended the Sultan Bazaar school in Hyderabad for his primary education. Husain’s family moved back to Qaimganj after his father’s demise in 1907, and he enrolled at the Islamia High School in Etawah.
In 1911, Husain’s mother and several members of his extended family perished during a plague epidemic. After completing his secondary education in 1913, he enrolled at the Muhammadan Anglo-Oriental College in Aligarh and, in preparation for a medical degree, the Lucknow Christian College for a Bachelor of Science. A bout of illness forced him to suspend his studies, and he rejoined Aligarh College a year later. Husain earned a degree in philosophy, English literature, and economics in 1918. He won awards for his debating abilities and was elected vice president of the college’s students’ union. Husain’s post-graduate studies were in the fields of law and economics. After earning his master’s degree in 1920, he was appointed as a college lecturer.
Zakir Husain Career
As a result of his early fame in the United States, he collaborated with Western musicians and continued to do so throughout his career. He primarily collaborated with American bands. His collaboration with the famous band ‘The Beatles’ merits special mention. In 1971, he also recorded with the American psychedelic band ‘Shanti’. In 1975, he played in the ensemble ‘Shakti’ with John McLaughlin. This ensemble had John McLaughlin, Zakir Hussain, L. Shankar, T.H. ‘Vikku’ Vinayakam and R. Raghavan.
The ensemble ‘Shakti’ disbanded in the late 1970s. However, the band reunited a few years later under the moniker ‘Remember Shakti’ with new members. The resurrected ensemble went on to release numerous albums, including “Saturday Night in Bombay” and “The Believer.” In addition, they participated in the 38th Montreux Jazz Festival. In 1987, Zakir Hussain published his first solo album, Making Music, which was hailed as one of the most inspired East-West fusion albums of all time.
Zakir Hussain has composed music for numerous films, including “In Custody,” “The Mystic Masseur,” and “Heat and Dust,” among others. His composition for the Malayalam film ‘Vanaprastham’, which was screened at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival, earned him praise. His other film scores include ‘Apocalypse Now,’ ‘Little Buddha,’ ‘Saaz,’ ‘Mr. and Mrs. Iyer,’ and ‘One Dollar Curry. Zakir has also appeared in numerous films, the majority of which showcase his musical performances. His performance as ‘Inder Lal’ in ‘Heat and Dust’ is indelible. He also starred in a number of outstanding documentaries, such as ‘The Speaking Hand: Zakir Hussain and the Art of the Indian Drum’ and ‘Zakir and His Friends’. ‘Zakir and His Friends’ was published in 1998, whereas ‘The Speaking Hand’ was published in 2003.
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Awards
- Padma Shree – The Government of India awarded him the Padma Shree in 1988, making him the youngest percussionist ever to receive this honour.
- In 2002, Zakir Hussain was again the youngest percussionist to receive India’s third highest civilian distinction, the Padma Bhushan.
- He was presented with the Indo-American Award in 1990 for his cultural contributions.
- National Heritage Fellowship – In 1999, Zakir was awarded the most prestigious American award in the field of traditional arts.
- Sangeet Natak Akademi Award – The President of India presented him with this award in 1991. He was among the youngest musicians to obtain this honour.
- Grammy – He was also awarded the Grammy for the Zakir Hussain and Mickey Hart-produced album Planet Drum. This was his first
- Grammy award. In the Contemporary World Music Album category at the 51st Grammy Awards, his album ‘Global Drum Project’ awarded him his second Grammy. He had worked with Mickey Hart, Giovanni Hidalgo, and Sikiru Adepoju on this endeavour.
- Kalidas Samman – In 2006, the government of Madhya Pradesh presented him with this prestigious award, which is given to artists who have achieved exceptional success in their profession.
- Lifetime Achievement Award – In 2012, he received Guru Gangadhar Pradhan (lifetime achievement) award at the Konark Dance & Music Festival.
Zakir Husain’s Personal Life
Antonia Minnecola, an Italian-American Kathak performer and instructor, is Zakir Hussain’s wife. She previously served as his supervisor for a time. Anisa and Isabella Qureshi are the couple’s two daughters. After graduating from UCLA, Anisa Qureshi is now attempting her fortune in filmmaking and video production. Isabella, the second daughter of Zakir, is a dance major at a college in Manhattan. Zakir recently became a grandfather and currently resides in San Francisco, California, United States.
Contributions
Ustad Zakir Hussain is regarded as one of the most influential figures in the development of the contemporary world music movement. Due to his numerous collaborations, he is often attributed with bringing the Tabla to the global stage. In addition, he demonstrated to the world that the Tabla, which was considered a trivial percussion instrument prior to his time, could be used as a concert’s primary instrument. This belief, which he ingrained in many, altered our perspective on concerts. His accomplishments as a Tabla player paved the way for numerous Indo-Western collaborations and inspired many youthful percussionists.
