'Ustad' by Pt Ravishankar is my biggest award: Zakir

Deepak Sen
New Delhi, Feb 25 (PTI) After winning the Grammy for a second time recently, tabla player Zakir Hussain is elated on being called an 'Ustad' by sitar maestro Pt Ravishankar and says it is unforgettable and the most rewarding experience than any award.

"For me, every award means the good wishes of maestros. Getting an award feels like I am not lagging behind the art, culture and critics," the mesmerising tabla player told PTI during a programme in the capital.

Hussain says, "I treasure most two awards in my life. The first was when my father and teacher Ustad Allah Rakha Khan appreciated my performance and said 'theek hai' (it is right).

"The second was when sitar player Pt Ravishankar at a joint performance introduced me as 'Ustad' Zakir Hussain. I was just 20-years-old at that time," he says.

Music is beyond any religion and community, pointed out the maestro.

"Indian classical music is old and has a rich tradition. The music based on sufism is above all boundaries and all religions. It is secular and there is no place for any demarcations made by the any religion be it Hindu or Muslim," he said. PTI