New Delhi, Feb 3 (PTI) — The exclusion of legendary Indian tabla maestro and four-time Grammy winner Zakir Hussain from the 'In Memoriam' segment at the 67th Grammy Awards has sparked outrage among Indian fans. While the Recording Academy omitted Hussain from its live-streamed tribute, he was later acknowledged on its official website.
The awards ceremony, held at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on Sunday, traditionally pays homage to artists who passed away over the past year. However, the absence of Hussain, who passed away on December 15 due to idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis at the age of 73, left many disappointed.
During the tribute, the Grammys honored musicians such as Liam Payne, Kris Kristofferson, Cissy Houston, Tito Jackson, Joe Chambers, Jack Jones, Mary Martin, Marianne Faithfull, Seiji Ozawa, and Ella Jenkins. Coldplay’s Chris Martin, fresh from his India tour, performed the segment alongside guitarist Grace Bowers with the song "All My Love."
The awards ceremony, held at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on Sunday, traditionally pays homage to artists who passed away over the past year. However, the absence of Hussain, who passed away on December 15 due to idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis at the age of 73, left many disappointed.
During the tribute, the Grammys honored musicians such as Liam Payne, Kris Kristofferson, Cissy Houston, Tito Jackson, Joe Chambers, Jack Jones, Mary Martin, Marianne Faithfull, Seiji Ozawa, and Ella Jenkins. Coldplay’s Chris Martin, fresh from his India tour, performed the segment alongside guitarist Grace Bowers with the song "All My Love."
Fans Express Outrage on Social Media
Hussain, a towering figure in Indian classical music, made history in 2024 by winning three Grammy Awards in a single year. His exclusion led to a wave of criticism on social media, with users tagging the Recording Academy on platform X (formerly Twitter).- "How come no mention of Zakir Hussain in Grammy obituary? He was a winner last year. #Grammys2025", wrote one user.
- "Big miss. I didn't see @RecordingAcad mention Zakir Hussain in the memoriam section. #GRAMMYs," another posted.
- "Shame not to see 4-time winner and multiple-time nominee Zakir Hussain in the Grammy tribute to artists lost recently. Real shame. #GRAMMYs #Grammys2025 #ZakirHussain @RecordingAcad," echoed another.
Hussain Acknowledged on Grammy Website
Despite the snub during the live event, the Recording Academy listed Zakir Hussain on its website’s ‘In Memoriam’ section alongside other Indian music legends:- Pankaj Udhas (Ghazal Maestro)
- Sharda Sinha (Folk Singer)
- Aashish Khan (Sarod Player)