Annual musical event Bansuri Utsav will pay homage to renowned tabla player Ustad Zakir Hussain in its upcoming edition next month, the organisers announced on Thursday.

Hussain, one of the greatest tabla players of all time, died at a San Francisco hospital on December 15 from the lung disease idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. He was 73.

The 16th edition of the festival, organised by flautist Vivek Sonar's Gurukul Pratishthan, will be held on January 4 and 5 at Dr Kashinath Ghanekar Auditorium in Thane.

"As the world is in dire shock of the passing of globally acclaimed Ustad Zakir Hussain, we are dedicating this year's Bansuri Utsav in the memory of beloved Zakir bhai. He was India's cultural ambassador to the world.

"His exit has created a vacuum in the Indian classical music arena. Going ahead with his teaching of 'The show must go on', we are presenting the festival in his fond memories," Sonar said in a statement.

On its first day, the festival will feature a sitar and flute jugalbandi by sitarist Ravi Chary and Sonar, with Pandit Anindo Chatterjee on the tabla. It will be followed by a Kathak performance by noted artist and actor Sharvari Gamenis.

A recital by flute maestro Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia will conclude day one. Tabla artist Pandit Satyajeet Talwalkar will join Chaurasia for the presentation.

The second day of the gala will see Sonar and Atul Raninga hold the annual Bansuri Utsav flute symphony, leading around 90 flute players, ranging in age from 8 to 80 years. Celebrated music composer and Padma Vibhushan recipient Ilaiyaraja will receive the Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia Award.

The festival will conclude with a classical singing performance by Begum Parveen Sultana. She will be accompanied by Pandit Mukundraj Dev on the tabla.

Bansuri Utsav is supported by myGurukul app, a classical flute learning mobile app.

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