Zakir Hussain was a four-time Grammy Award winner. He received three of them at the 66th Annual Grammy Awards held in 2024. Over six decades, he collaborated with renowned artists, the most notable one being the 1973 fusion project with popular musicians like John McLaughlin, L Shankar, and TH 'Vikku' Vinayakram. The band was named ‘Shakti.’

Considered a national treasure in his homeland, the percussionist transcended genres and brought classical Indian music to a global audience.

Through his performances, he transformed the tabla into a globally loved solo instrument that was the star of the show. The tabla - a pair of drums used in Indian classical music - was historically viewed as an accompaniment to the main performance.