According to reports, Husain was being treated for fluids in his lungs. However, the exact cause of his death is yet to be known.
Husain was in a self-imposed exile since 2006 after some of his paintings of Hindu deities led to life threats and attacks. Husain eventually adopted the citizenship of Qatar.
The paintings in question were created in 1970, but did not become an issue until 1996, when they were printed in Vichar Mimansa, a Hindi monthly magazine.
In response, eight criminal complaints were filed against Husain. In 2004, Delhi High Court dismissed these complaints of "promoting enmity between different groups ... by painting Hindu goddesses - Durga and Sarswati, that was later compromised by Hindus".
In 1998 Husain's house was attacked by some Hindu groups like Bajrang Dal and his art works were vandalised.
In February 2006, Husain was charged with hurting sentiments of people because of his nude portraits of Hindu gods and goddesses.
A series of cases were brought against him and a court case related to the alleged obscene depiction of Hindu goddesses in his paintings resulted in issuing a non-bailable warrant against Husain after he failed to respond to summons.
Husain's initial success as an artist was in the late 1940s.
In 1947, he joined the Progressive Artists' Group, founded by Francis Newton Souza. This was a group of young artists who wished to break with the nationalist traditions established by the Bengal school of art and to encourage an Indian avant-garde, engaged at an international level. In 1952, his first solo exhibition was held at Zürich and over the next few years, his work was widely seen in Europe and the US.
In 1955, he was awarded the prestigious Padma Shree prize by the Government of India.
According to Forbes magazine, he has been called the "Picasso of India".
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