Eman Hashimi

Eman Hashimi is an Afghan-American tabla virtuoso and percussionist, born into one of the most respected musical families of Afghanistan. He belongs to the historic Kharabat tradition of Kabul, a quarter known for shaping generations of master musicians. He is the son of Ustad Toryalai Hashimi, one of Central Asia’s foremost percussionists and a pioneer of Afghan tabla. Under his father’s guidance, Eman began formal training at the age of seven, learning Afghan classical and folk rhythms along with the powerful techniques of the Punjab Gharana style of tabla.

Eman’s talent was recognized early in life. At just nine years of age, he gave his first public concert alongside his father. In 2009, he entered advanced training under Pandit Swapan Chaudhuri, one of India’s greatest tabla maestros, and became one of the youngest students ever to perform a tabla duet with his guru. He has also participated in masterclasses with Ustad Zakir Hussain, Pandit Yogesh Samsi, and other senior percussionists. This rare lineage, spanning Afghan, Indian, and Central Asian traditions, has shaped him into a uniquely versatile artist.

His performances have taken him to major international platforms, including the Kennedy Center, San Francisco World Music Festival, Yerba Buena Gardens Festival, Tuti Gala, and Basant Bahar. Eman regularly collaborates across genres, blending Afghan music with North and South Indian classical forms, jazz, folk, and world music, presenting percussion as a universal language.

Alongside performance, Eman is deeply committed to education. He has served as an adjunct instructor at the Afghanistan National Institute of Music, which relocated to Europe after the Taliban’s return to power. Since 2009, he has trained more than 150 students across the world, guiding young musicians as performers and cultural ambassadors.

Eman is also the founder and director of percussion at PACA (Preserving Afghan Cultural Arts), a nonprofit dedicated to preserving, teaching, and promoting Afghanistan’s musical heritage, which is currently banned in its homeland. Through research, teaching, and performance, he ensures that Afghan rhythms continue to live across borders and generations. Rooted in lineage and driven by purpose, Eman Hashimi stands as both a guardian of tradition and a voice for the future of Afghan music.