It is a novel experience to catch up with the world's greatest nomad and artist M.F Husain who entertains a few quick questions with me at the Victoria and Albert Museum, where the 94-year-old was sharing a 20:20 exhibition on Mother Theresa's centenary birthday celebrations with Sunitha Kumar who was Mother's friend, official spokesperson and biographer.

How do you feel when the western world gives you adulation whereas you don't get overwhelming support from India?

You are totally wrong. I think the greatest support, which am getting is from again auction houses and everywhere, it's 99.9 percent, all Indians who are NRI's and they are doing great service culturally. They are the real ambassadors of our culture all over the world. It's Indians who are supporting me here. Hardly, there are one or two, I think not one, a big collector who has collected any paintings on any Indian artist, they are still biased.

Art had become like an investment commodity before the global economic down turn and collectors who did not had genuine love towards art made it like an 'art fund'. With the recession over, how has the scene helped now?

It's already on the recovery. Just see the difference between the last year and the present stage of Sotheby and Christie's. Just look at my colleague and great artist, Syed Haider Raza going for 2.4 million pounds (Rs 16.42 crores) at Christies. Where is the recession? I think this price, even the contemporary UK painters, or US get paid. We are already on par with them.

What is the current status of your projects for the Museum of Islamic Art in Doha?

I must have hardly heard about that spot in this planet. Earlier I left India to do three major projects (in 2006). Before that I had already left India to work because for a creative person, the whole world is our stage. You work there; you don't belong to all the boundaries, which have politically divided the whole world. Otherwise the whole universe is yours. So I wanted to do and after painting for so many years and because of my keen interest in civilization, so I thought now it's time to work on these major projects, Indian and Arab civilizations and the third, my love on the history of Indian cinema which next year, 2011, completes 100 years. So I am painting 100 years of Indian cinema. It's the vision, which I am creating of that period. And for that you require a sponsor and the space to work. So I thought I would better go out. So I chose to go to Dubai because my nephew and relatives were there. And for nearly 1-2 years, I was working on these projects and slowly people came forward and sponsored. I got a sponsor for Indian civilisation here in London, Arab civilisation in Qatar and on the 100 years of Indian cinema of which I am currently working.

The media had reported that you had moved to Doha taking citizenship there…

This is all wrong. This is media. Do you believe in that? I moved because of the facilities and benefits of working in Doha. Take Picasso, although he worked all his life in Paris, he is still a Spanish painter. I can work in any part of the world. I will always remain an Indian born painter. What's this about boundaries and zones? I belong to the whole universe. I claim so and my work is such. That is why I am interested in civilisations. In the beginning, no doubt to survive in this world at the earlier stages, I have done many things to earn a living like painted cinema halls, hoardings, and peoples' portraits with rosy cheeks.

Did you feel sad when you surrendered your Indian passport?

I think it is just a sheet; a piece of paper. It has no significance of whatsoever, whether it is the stamp of France, America, Africa, India or the stamp of Qatar. I remain a painter of this planet. This is it. You must have that vision. Then you can create. If you narrow down, your work will also suffer. I am the same.

What did you feel when you realised that the Indian government or the politicians did not support you then?

Who cares of politicians? Who are these people? One day they will realise their mistake. I am not condemning them because there are bigger issues in India with 1 billion people to feed. Mine is a minor thing. They should concentrate there. I understand their problem and I appreciate it. That's why I have not spoken against anybody. Each one has its own, you know, what you call views and they have every right to do it. All the views that I have appreciated and not rejected and anybody, even the adverse comments, it has meaning.

What is that you like about Kerala?

I think it's just because it's 'God's Own Country'. It's so simple. (Laughing heartily) First of all, it's 100 % literate. When you go there, you can feel that. And wherever I go in any part of the world, I have seen Keralites and they greet me and they know each and everything about that's happening anywhere.

So that means you will soon be going to Kerala to receive the Raja Ravi Varma award, which was announced in 2007?

There was some problem because some misguided people put an injunction and the Kerala Government has not been able to do anything over that. It is the fault of the Kerala Government and they should have fought them in the court.

After the time and generosity showered over me, the great painter's hospitality was shown to me when he shook my hands and invited me to his palatial home in Doha before he entered a gleaming chauffeur driven Rolls Royce parked outside his Mayfair apartment.

Text and photos by Cynthia Chandran. She can be reached at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it