MF Hussain was one of India's most renowned painters, known for his paintings of Indian women. He was born in 1915 and had a prolific career as an artist as well as film director. However, he also faced controversies over some nude paintings of Hindu gods and goddesses. Hussain received many prestigious Indian awards including the Padma Bhushan and Padma Vibhushan. He passed away in 2011 in London, leaving behind a significant legacy through his artistic contributions.

1. M.F. HUSSAIN
Full name: Maqbool Fida Husain
Born: 17 September 1915, Pandharpur
Father’s name: Fida hussain
Mother’s name: Zunaib bibi
Awards: Padma Shri, Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan, more
Movies: Gaja Gamini, Through the Eyes of a Painter, Meenaxi: A
Tale of Three Cities, Pehla Sitara
Died: 9 June 2011, Royal Brompton Hospital, London, United
Kingdom
o MF Husain one of the India's most gifted artist , was an
accomplished painter mostly famous for his paintings on Indian
women and also for his habits of getting into controversies.
o This multi aspect artist has made significant contributions in other
field is also as a director ,photographer and member of Indian
parliament etc.
o MF Hussain was born in Pandharpur, Madhya Pradesh on September 17, 1915.
o His mother died when he was three-year-old . His family moved to Indore where he did his primary education.
o His association with painting began at an early age - he learnt the art of calligraphy and practiced the “ KUFIC
KHAT "(Kufic is the oldest calligraphic form of the various Arabic scripts) with its geometric forms.
o He also learnt to write poetry
o At the age of 20, he moved to Mumbai determined to become an artist and joined Sir J.J. School of Arts for one
year
o In 1937 he started his career painting cinema hoardings for a livelihood
o Initially, he had a tough time but as the earnings got better, he visited Surat, Vadodara and Ahmedabad to paint
landscapes.

2. o Initially, he had a tough time but as the earnings got better, he visited Surat, Vadodara and Ahmedabad to paint
landscapes.
o He also tried his luck in other jobs and the best paid job was at a toy factory e where he designed and built
fretwork toys.
o In between, in the year 1941, Hussain got married to Fazila and they had two daughters - Raisa and Aqueela and
also had three sons- Mustafa a restauranteur, Shamshad and Owais , both as painters themselves.
o Hussain's painting " SUNEHRA SANSAR " at 1947 annual exhibition of the Bombay art Society won an award and
marked his entry as a known artist.
o In 1946, Francis Newton Souzah invited him to join Bombay Progressive Artists Group.
o He visited Delhi, where he encountered ancient Mathura sculpture and India's miniature paintings. This was a
turning point of his career as an artist as he assimilated ideas from Western and Indian art.
o In 1952, he conducted his first solo exhibition in Mumbai. In 1954 he was nominated as an eminent artist by the
Lalit Kala akademi , New Delhi and won the National award at the Lalit Kala Akademi's first national exhibition.
o M.F. Hussain participated in many international shows which included contemporary Indian art.
o The Venice biennales (1953 , 1955) Tokyo Biennale (1959 where he won the Iternationl Biennale Award and there
he was invited to exhibit alongside Pablo Picasso.
o His work was first shown in the USA at India House, New York, in 1964. He had also had exhibitions of photography
and in 1984 in Hanover, he exhibited works on plexiglass
o Besides painting, Hussain had also made film " Through the Eyes of a Painter " in 1967 which went on to win the
Golden Bear Award Berlin Film Festival. He had made several short films since then
o On account of his immense contribution to Indian art, the Govemment of India
honoured him with :-
~ The Padmashree in 1966.
~ The Padma Bhushan Award in 1973 .
~ The Padma Vibhushan award in 1989.
~ all prestigious civilian awards.
o He was nominated to the upper house of the Indian Parliament, the ' Rajya Sabha
1987, and during his six years term he produced the Sansad portfolio.

3. o Hussain made a series of painting on several subjects including the
Bitish Raj, on major cities such as "culcutta. Benares. Rome, Beijing,
on the Epics Mahabharata and Ramayana, a whole seies on Mother
Teresa ,on the major nine religions of the world a series on horses.A
big mural of his, portrait of 20th century depicts all the major
personalities of arts, science, dance, literature, politics, etc.
o Hussain's most interesting paintings of the 90's is the series named
after Madhuri Dixit a well Known cine artist in Hindi cinema.
o He saw her film ' Hum Apke Hain Kaun ' 67 times and painted a
whole series of paintings on her and even directed her in a film "
GAJA GAMINI "
o Hussain became the talk of the town for his open fascination with
Madhuri Dixit.
o Subsequently, he made another film" Meenaxi: " A Tale of Three
Cities " with Tabu, anothur cine artist.
o Once Hussain was arrested and charged with hurting sentiments of people following
his controversial nude paintings of Hindu Gods and Goddesses.
o The court ordered that the artist should have freedom of expression but with a limit
of un hurting the Sentiments of the "people.
o International famed and highest paid painter in India. Described by Forbes magazine
as " THE PICASSO OF INDIA ".
o Hussain died on June 9, 2011 London, U.K.
o Husain’s legacy is being carried forward by his son Owais Husain, who is an eminent
artist in his own right.
o The autobiography of M.F. Hussain is being made into a movie, which has been
tentatively titled as 'The Making of the Painter'.
MEENAXI GAJA GAMINI
GODDESS LAKSHMI