Indian artist Indian artist, Syed Haider Raza, who has been living in Paris since 1950 keeps deep ties with India. Raza's works are mainly abstracts in oil or acrylic, with a very rich use of colour, replete with icons from Indian cosmology as well as its philosophy. Raza was awarded India's the Padma Shri (1981) and Padma Bhushan (2007). He was awarded the Prix de la critique in Paris in 1956, first non-French artist to receive the honour. In 1962, Raza became a visiting lecturer at the University of California, Berkeley, USA. One of Raza's paintings reported to have sold for $1.4m in 2006. To promote art among Indian youth, 'Raza Foundation' gives away Annual Raza Foundation Award to young artists. Syed Haider Raza was born in Babaria, Madhya Pradesh, India. He took to drawing at age 12. After studying at Nagpur and Bombay he moved to Paris in 1950 to study at the ENSB-A.