Indian music lovers were left furious after tabla maestro and four-time Grammy winner Zakir Hussain was noticeably absent from the In Memoriam segment at the 67th Grammy Awards. The apparent oversight by the Recording Academy has sparked outrage on social media, with fans calling out the organisers for failing to honour the legendary musician.

Zakir Hussain passed away at the age of 73 in San Francisco in December 2024. He died due to complications arising out of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, the family had said in a statement.

The prestigious awards ceremony took place on Sunday at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, where the annual In Memoriam montage paid tribute to late industry icons. However, Hussain was not included in the segment.

It may be mentioned that the tabla maestro made history last year as the first Indian musician to win three Grammys in a single night.

Many social media users took to X (formerly known as Twitter), tagging the Recording Academy and expressing disappointment over the omission. A section of users also demanded an explanation for the snub.

"Shame not to see 4 time winner and multiple times nominee Zakir Hussain in the Grammy tribute to artists lost recently. Real shame," an X user wrote.

"If it was missed then someone should lose their job. If not done with intent then iv just lost interest and respect for the Grammy’s !! Not that anyone cares what one fan feels," wrote another user.

"I think it was an oversight. Because the list of people from the music industry we lost in 2024 mentions his name but the "In Memoriam" page doesn't. Shame," read another comment on X.

"How come no mention of Zakir Hussain in Grammy obituary #Grammys2025 he was a winner last year," a user asked. Here's how othet Indian fans reacted:

During the event, the Grammys honoured musicians such as Liam Payne, Kris Kristofferson, Cissy Houston, Tito Jackson, Joe Chambers, Jack Jones, Mary Martin, Marianne Faithfull, Seiji Ozawa, and Ella Jenkins.

Singer Chris Martin, who recently completed his India tour, performed the 'In Memoriam tribute' with guitarist Grace Bowers.

About Zakir Hussain

Zakir Hussain, who is regarded as the greatest tabla player of his generation, is survived by his wife, Antonia Minnecola and his daughters, Anisa Qureshi and Isabella Qureshi.

In his career spanning six decades, the musician worked with several renowned international and Indian artistes, but it was his 1973 musical project with English guitarist John McLaughlin, violinist L Shankar, and percussionist TH 'Vikku' Vinayakram that brought together Indian classical and elements of jazz in a fusion hitherto unknown.

Hussain has received four Grammy Awards in his career, including three at the 66th Grammy Awards in 2024.

The percussionist, one of India's most celebrated classical musicians, received the Padma Shri in 1988, the Padma Bhushan in 2002, and the Padma Vibhushan in 2023.