India, Dec. 17 -- S oulful rhythms filled Mumbai as family, friends, and more than 50 artistes from India and around the world came together to honour the legendary tabla maestro Ustad Zakir Hussain on his first death anniversary. The two-day commemorative event, titled Maestro Forever, was held on Sunday and Monday, December 14 and 15, at the National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA) in Mumbai, drawing a gathering of musicians, cultural enthusiasts, and admirers of the maestro. Zakir Hussain, who passed away on December 15 last year in San Francisco at the age of 73, left an irreplaceable void in the world of music. From Hindustani classical to jazz fusion and global collaborations, he had earned international acclaim and numerous honours, including multiple Grammy Awards. The event brought his influence vividly to life over two days through tabla recitals, fusion ensembles, talks, presentations, film screenings, and a curated photo exhibition titled 'Zakir Hussain: Learning to Learn, A Student's Tribute.' Discussions highlighted his pioneering role in bridging Indian and global music traditions. Grammy-winning guitarist John McLaughlin, co-founder with Hussain of the seminal Indo-jazz fusion band Shakti in the early 1970s, joined other notable collaborators, namely singer-composer Shankar Mahadevan, percussionist V. Selvaganesh, and violinist-composer Ganesh Rajagopalan for a special concert titled 'Forever Friends', celebrating decades of musical camaraderie. Family members, including his wife Antonia Minnecola, daughters Anisa and Isabella Qureshi, and brother Taufiq Qureshi, were present throughout, sharing reflections on the maestro's life as both an artist and a mentor. Antonia also spoke of his lifelong passion for nurturing young talent and his dream of establishing a centre for music education, a vision his family continues to pursue....