Zakir Hussain, one of India’s most accomplished classical musicians who defied genres and introduced tabla to a global audience, has died at 73 years old.

Zakir Hussain, one of the world's greatest tabla players, has died at the age of 73. The Indian classical music icon died of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, a lung disease, at a hospital in San Francisco, his family said in a statement.

The world mourns the passing of legendary tabla maestro Ustad Zakir Hussain, who died from idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. Hussain, renowned for his virtuosity and cross-cultural collaborations, introduced the tabla to a global audience.