SPEAKING HANDS FALL SILENT

When he was born on March 9, 1951, Zakir Hussain was considered an unlucky child. The arrival of the eldest son had coincided with the family's most distressing moment, as his 'Abba', Allarakha Qureishi, had fallen ill with a heart ailment.

- AMITAVA SANYAL

When he was born on March 9, 1951, Zakir Hussain was considered an unlucky child. The arrival of the eldest son had coincided with the family's most distressing moment, as his 'Abba', Allarakha Qureishi, had fallen ill with a heart ailment. The family was somewhat reassured when a holy man appeared at the door of their small house in Mahim, Mumbai and insisted that the son would 'save' the father and that he be named Zakir Hussain—a surname to honour Imam Hussain that no one else in the family shared.