He was born in 1945 at Chavakkad, Kerala. His mother belonged to the royal family of Arakkal, the only Muslim royal family to have ruled Kerala. Yusuf lost both his parents at an early age. Leaving the comforts of his house behind, the boy Yusuf left for Bangalore, lonely but with a passion to become a painter. The hardships that he faced at Bangalore honed the artist in him and sharpened his sensibility. He took a diploma in painting from Karnataka Chitrakala Parishat, Bangalore and later specialized in graphic print making from National Academy community studios, Garhi, Delhi.