India’s leading Modern painter will no longer be an Indian citizen partially resolving the long-standing conflict between the painter and Hindu fundamentalists in his home country. Instead, he has been granted Qatar nationality by the ruling family, according to N. Ram in The Hindu. Husain’s new status will require him to give up his Indian citizenship. Though India will not allow dual citizenship, it does recognize a class of Overseas Indian Citizens.
Husain did not seek Qatar nationality but he is deeply entwined in the Emirate’s culture:
Almost 95, the artist works a long day, producing large canvasses and life-size glass sculptures. Never has he been as commercially successful as he is today. His work now is mostly towards two large projects, the history of Indian civilisation and the history of Arab civilisation. The latter was commissioned by Qatar’s powerful first lady – Sheikha Mozah bint Nasser al Missned, wife of the emirate’s ruler, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani. The works will be housed in a separate museum in Doha.
M.F. Husain Gets Qatar Nationality (The Hindu)
