Painter Maqbool Fida Husain dies in London of heart attack at 95

Maqbool Fida Husain, one of India's best-known artists, died at Royal Brompton Hospital in London at 2:30 am local time on Thursday. He was 95.

Mr Husain had been in indifferent health for the last month-and-a-half.

The artist, who was awarded the Padma Vibhushan in 1991, moved from India in 2006 after a series of legal cases and death threats over paintings that showed nude Hindu goddesses.  Since then, right-wing groups have vandalized exhibitions that include his work.

In 2010, he accepted citizenship of Qatar.

Mr Husain was among the earliest Indian painters to command huge prices at international auctions. He has received several major national awards. 
He also directed a few films. In 1967, Husain's first film, Through the Eyes of a Painter, won a Golden Bear at the Berlin Film Festival . 
He often described Bollywood actor Madhuri Dixit as his muse. He made a film with her, titled Gaja Gamini. She was also the subject of a series of paintings he titled Fida. Husain also made a film with Tabu, titled Meenaxi: A Tale of Three Cities. (With PTI Inputs)