Born in 1925 in Lyallpur (present-day Faisalabad in Pakistan), he pursued his education from Imperial Service College in Windsor, England. After the Partition, the artist moved to Bombay (now Mumbai). He was working in a bank when he joined the Progressive Artists Group. He exhibited his paintings for the first time as a member of this group in Bombay.

He held his first solo show in Madras (now Chennai) in 1955. In 1961, he bid his banking career an adieu and became a full-time artist. He has showcased his work in various exhibitions in cities like London, New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Zurich, Washington D.C.

The Government of India has honoured him with the Padma Shri (1990) and Padma Bhushan (2011).

The eminent artist lives and works in New Delhi.