What is idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis? Zakir Hussain's illness explored as Indian musical maestro dies at 73

Zakir Hussain, the legendary Indian tabla maestro, died in a San Francisco Hospital on Sunday, December 15, 2024. Hussain's family informed in a statement that the 73-year-old had been hospitalized for the last two weeks and was later taken to the ICU as his condition deteriorated.

According to the statement on December 16, Hussain died due to complications arising out of a rare and progressive lung disease — idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF).

Mayo Clinic defines pulmonary fibrosis as a lung disease that causes the tissues of the lungs to thicken, eventually becoming scarred and damaged. Because of the damaged tissues, the lungs struggle to function properly, and their condition worsens over time. Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis occurs when the condition's cause cannot be found.

Zakir Hussain is survived by his wife, Antonia Minnecola (a renowned Kathak dancer), and two daughters, Anisa and Isabella Kureshi.

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Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis is not treatable

According to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLI), healthcare professionals often cannot pinpoint the cause of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. The risk of this condition is higher among people who smoke and those with a family history of IPF. Additionally, the risk increases with growing age.

Among the common symptoms of IPF are shortness of breath, dry cough, extreme tiredness, aches in muscles and joints, unintended weight loss, and clubbing—a condition in which the tips of one's fingers and toes grow wider and rounder. However, not every IPF patient experiences these symptoms at first; in many cases, they develop over time and worsen as the disease progresses.

The progression of IPF varies from person to person. While it stays the same in some patients for years, it can worsen quickly in others. Some IPF patients also experience acute exacerbation, where the symptoms become serious within days or weeks and can be life-threatening. Another illness or condition, like a lung infection, commonly triggers the exacerbation.

Other complications associated with IPF include pulmonary hypertension and respiratory failure, which are triggered when the lungs can't deliver enough oxygen into the bloodstream without support. It prevents the brain and other organs of the body from getting their oxygen supply, which can also be life-threatening.

While IPF isn't completely treatable right now, certain treatments might help slow its progression and improve lung function. People with this condition can also take a proactive approach to health management, which involves regular exercise and a balanced diet to strengthen their immune systems and support overall health.

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Zakir Hussain had won four Grammys in his lifetime

According to BBC, Zakir Hussain was the son of Ustad Allarakha Khan, a tabla maestro himself. He thus grew up in what he called an "atmosphere of music 24 hours a day."

Hussain first started performing alongside his father at age seven. As a teenager, he was given the opportunity to perform on stage with the legendary Indian sitarist Pandit Ravi Shankar. Zakir Hussain told his biographer, Nasreen Munni Kabir, in 2018:

"From the age of seven, I sat on the stage with Abba whilst he played with so many greats. It was a lived experience for me, and it allowed me to absorb all that I had heard over the years."

By the time he was 19, Zakir Hussain played at over 150 concerts in a year, both in India and internationally. In 1991, Hussain contributed to Planet Drum - a world music album by Mickey Hart, which won the first-ever Grammy for Best World Music Album in 1992.

Hussain received six other Grammy nominations over the years, winning three earlier this year at the 66th Annual Grammy Awards. The tabla maestro has also won three of India's four highest civilian awards: the Padma Shri in 1993, the Padma Bhushan in 2002, and the Padma Vibhushan in 2023.

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