New Delhi: Syed Haider Raza, the grand old man of modern art, turned 90 on Wednesday. Raza set an auction record for modern Indian art when one of his paintings 'Saurashtra', sold for almost USD 3.5 million in London.
CNN-IBN wishes India's most famous modern artist SH Raza a very happy birthday.
It takes an attendant and a wheel chair to get Syed Haidar Raza close to his canvas but the artist continues to create magic on canvas even as he celebrates his 90th birthday. Raza says, "Health is not an issue. I am still young."
Raza, arguably India's costliest modern artist of all time has spent 6 decades in France, where he studied and worked as an artist but the inspiration for his paintings always came from India. The artist is glad to be back home.
"Well, I had to come back. 60 years is a long time but I was born in Madhya pradesh and wasn't good at studies. So I observed nature and started painting."
Answering his critics, he says, "Pagal hoon main, mujhe pagal rehna' do (I am mad, let me be)."
(For updates you can share with your friends, follow IBNLive on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and Pinterest)
FTN: Can social media influence political agenda?
Watch India @ 9 with Rajdeep Sardesai
The Last Word: What lessons have we learnt after Uttarakhand tragedy?
Watch: How rescue teams battle with the destruction in Uttarakhand
Uttarakhand floods: Security forces lead rescue
Advani aide calls Modi an 'autocrat', Rajnath 'foxy' president
Delhi: Yamuna water level rises over 207 meters, breaks 2010 record
In an easy win for Nitish Kumar, Cong backs JD(U), BJP walks out
