Main Shayar Toh Nahin

Ibne-eInsha. His real name was Sher Muhammad Khan. Ibn-e- Insha was an eminent Pakistani Leftist Urdu poet, and columnist. Along with his poetry, he was regarded as one of the best humorists of Urdu. He was born in Jalandhar District, Punjab. He did B.A. from Punjab University in 1946 and M.A. from University of Karachi in 1953. He was associated with various government services including Radio Pakistan, Ministry of Culture and National Book Centre of Pakistan. He also served United Nations for some time and this enabled him to visit a lot of places and was the reason of his subsequent travelogues. He died in London in 1978. Abdul Raoof Siddiqui email: raoof3@yahoo.com Thanks for listening! Follow us on instagram @urdu.ghazal and visit our website www.mstn.in

Meer Taqi Meer - One of the greatest Urdu poets. Known as Khuda-e-Sukhan (God of Poetry) Thanks for listening! Abdul Raoof Siddiqui email: raoof3@yahoo.com #urdupoetry #meertaqimeer Thanks for listening! Follow us on instagram @urdu.ghazal and visit our website www.mstn.in

Ahmad Mushtaq is one of the leading and reputed Pakistani poets known for his neo-classical tone, equally well-known in India, lives in Houston USA. Source: Rekhta Thanks for listening! Abdul Raoof Siddiqui email: raoof3@yahoo.com Instagram @urdu.ghazal Visit our website: www.mstn.in #urdupoetry #ahmadmushtaq Thanks for listening! Follow us on instagram @urdu.ghazal and visit our website www.mstn.in

Last of classical poets who celebrated life and love. Famous for his playfulness of words (idioms/ phrases). Nawab Mirza Khan Dagh Dehlavi (1831-1905), was born and brought up in the red fort of Delhi he was the grandson of Bahadur Shah Zafar, after the fall of Delhi in 1857, he had to move to Rampur where he lived in comfort for more than a decade. Later, his changing conditions, took him to other centers of renown like Lucknow, Patna, Calcutta, and Hyderabad. Dagh was a disciple of Zauq and also has a large number of eminent disciples to his own credit, Dagh deliberated upon the aesthetic principles of ghazal as a form of intimate poetic conversation. In its totality, Dagh’s poetry is idiomatic and appealing, laden with emotions and good humour. Apart from his four divaans, representing the last hallmarks of classical poetry, he has left behind a bunch of letters and a long narrative poem. Source: Rekhta Abdul Raoof Siddiqui email: raoof3@yahoo.com Instagram @urdu.ghazal Visit our website: www.mstn.in #urdupoetry #daghdehalvi Thanks for listening! Follow us on instagram @urdu.ghazal and visit our website www.mstn.in

Majrooh Sultanpuri, by creating a political symbolism in the classical tradition of ghazal in the twentieth century, proved that the genre of ghazal has the ability to express all kinds of subjects, emotions, feelings and ideas effectively and pleasingly without sacrificing its quiddity. Majrooh made a slight change in the symbols and metaphors of classical ghazal and established a new vocabulary immersed in political symbolism. He made modern ghazal a pack of modern realities. Thanks to his artistry, they become living symbols for their readers. He kept the reputation of ghazal intact during the heyday of progressivism, when it was considered a lesser thing than Nazm and there was even a campaign against it. He kept alive the spirit of this genre through his words, and even named his collection of poems ‘Ghazal’. His eloquence is so effective that it cannot be left unattended in the heart. He had to go to jail because of his ideological affiliation, and for the same reason some people tried to discredit him of his accomplishments. Majrooh Sultanpuri was born in 1919 in Sultanpur district of Uttar Pradesh. His real name was Israr Hassan Khan. Majrooh started writing poetry in 1935. He recited his first ghazal in a Mushaira of Sultanpur. Jigar Muradabadi and Prof. Rashid Ahmed Siddiqui played a major role in his bringing up as a poet. Rashid Ahmed Siddiqui advised him to study Persian and Urdu classical poetry. He could not get admission in Aligarh so Rashid Sahib kept him at his house for three years. In one such mushaira, when he reached Bombay with Majrooh, the audience included the then famous film director AR Kardar. He was very impressed with Majrooh's poetry and hired him to write songs for his films at a huge salary. At that time, he was making the film "Shahjahan" with music director Naushad and hero KL Sehgal in the films. Majrooh’s lyrics became immortal in Sehgal’s voice, ‘Jab Dil hi Tuut Gaya’ was on everybody’s lips. Sehgal was so moved by the song that he wrote in his will that this song would be played at the time of his last rites. Majrooh in his nearly 55 years of film career, wrote countless songs, most of which were hits. He tried to maintain as much literary merit as possible in film songs, and whenever the producer or director insisted compromising with the merit, he would shrink inwardly, but completed his professional duty. In 1965, he was awarded the Filmfare Award for Best Songwriter for his film friendship song "Chahunga Mein Tujhe Saanjh Sawere". For his literary services, he was also awarded the Ghalib Prize and the Iqbal Samman. In literary and film activities, he visited dozens of countries, including Russia, the United States, the United Kingdom and the Gulf countries. Owing to his mammoth contribution to the film industry, Majrooh was awarded the prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke Award, in 1993. In his old age, he was diagnosed with lung disease. He passed away on May 24, 2000 at Leelavati Hospital in Bombay. Source: Rekhta Abdul Raoof Siddiqui email: raoof3@yahoo.com Instagram @urdu.ghazal Visit our website: www.mstn.in #urdupoetry #majroohsultnapuri Thanks for listening! Follow us on instagram @urdu.ghazal and visit our website www.mstn.in

Well known poet and lyricist, Behzad Lucknavi was born Sardar Ahmad Khan on January 01, 1900 at Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India. He hailed from a family of litterateurs. His father was also a poet of repute during his time. Being influenced by the literary environment of Lucknow, Behzad started composing verse at an early age in his life. You can listen to the poetry of his grandson Azm Behzad in our Episode 71 Behzad worked for the Indian Railways for a long time but later he joined All India Radio. During this period, he also made contacts in the film world and wrote lyrics for films. After the Partition of India, he migrated to Pakistan and worked for Radio Pakistan, Karachi. The collections of his poetry include: Naghma-o-Noor, Kaif-o-Suroor, Mauj-e-Tahoor, Chiraagh-e-Toor, and Wajd-o-Haal. He died on 10th Oct 1974 at Karachi. Abdul Raoof Siddiqui email: raoof3@yahoo.com Instagram @urdu.ghazal Visit our website: www.mstn.in #urdupoetry #behzadlakhnawi Thanks for listening! Follow us on instagram @urdu.ghazal and visit our website www.mstn.in

Mahirul Quadri is known as a fine prose writer and a poet who invested in strengthening the classical tradition of Urdu poetry. He was born Manzoor Hussain on 30 July, 1906, at a place called Kaiser Kalan in Bulandshahar district of Uttar Pradesh. He passed his matriculation examination from Aligarh Muslim University and joined a well-known journal called Medina published from Bijnaur. He also got involved with the editing of several other newspapers and journals. He also lived in Bombay for some time where he wrote lyrics for films. Following the Partition of India, he migrated to Pakistan and started published a journal called Faaraan from Karachi which came to acquire a healthy reputation for itself within no time. Mahirul Quadri wrote in various genres and came to be recognised as a respectable poet, reviewer, critic, biographer, and novelist. He published more than twenty books that have been read with interest over the time. Some of his works are: Aatish-e-Khamosh, Shiraaza, Mehsoosat-e-Mahir, Naghmaat-e-Mahir, Jazbaat-e-Mahir, Karvan-e-Hijaz, Zakhm-o-Marham, Yaad-e-Raftagaan, Firdaus, Tilism-e-Hayaat. He died of heart failure while participating in a mushaira in Jeddah on 12 May, 1978. Abdul Raoof Siddiqui email: raoof3@yahoo.com Instagram @urdu.ghazal Visit our website: www.mstn.in #urdupoetry #mahirulqadri Thanks for listening! Follow us on instagram @urdu.ghazal and visit our website www.mstn.in

Dr. Salim Torania, MD is an infectious disease specialist from Kenosha, WI. He is also a contemporary Urdu poet who was born in Pakistan. “Zakhm Bol Parey” is the title of his poetry collection. Abdul Raoof Siddiqui email: raoof3@yahoo.com Instagram @urdu.ghazal Visit our website: www.mstn.in #urdupoetry #salimtorania Thanks for listening! Follow us on instagram @urdu.ghazal and visit our website www.mstn.in

Sajida Kazmi is a contemporary Urdu poet from Chicago. She writes very eloquently and ghazal is her forte. I really enjoyed reading her book, "Zakhm Abhi Bhare Nahin" Abdul Raoof Siddiqui email: raoof3@yahoo.com Instagram @urdu.ghazal Visit our website: www.mstn.in #urdupoetry #sajidakazmi Thanks for listening! Follow us on instagram @urdu.ghazal and visit our website www.mstn.in

Eminent poet, educationist and Padam Shree recipient Dr. Kaleem Aajiz was born in a village in Patna district in the 1926. He was a gold medalist in BA from Patna College and then earned his Masters degree in Urdu from Patna University. He also got his doctorate from Patna University for his thesis on "Evolution of Urdu Literature in Bihar. He served as a lecturer for decades in the Department of Urdu at Patna University. In 1976, his first book of ghazals was released by the President of India in Vigyan Bhawan, Delhi. In the '60s and '70s he was the only Urdu poet who represented Bihar in the Red Fort Mushaira held every year in Delhi on the eve of Independence Day. Abdul Raoof Siddiqui email: raoof3@yahoo.com Instagram @urdu.ghazal Visit our website: www.mstn.in #urdupoetry #kaleemajiz Thanks for listening! Follow us on instagram @urdu.ghazal and visit our website www.mstn.in

Poet & music composer, Ali Baba Darpan is one of the contemporary Urdu poets of India based out of Hyderabad. Ali Baba Darpan is a maestro of rhyme and the magic he creates with his poetry is phenomenal. You can buy his book “Darpan Ka Dil” which is in Both Urdu & Roman Script from the below link. https://www.amazon.in/Darpan-Ka-Dil-First-2017/dp/B06WVD9MDB/ref=sr_1_2?crid=3U23JJHBRXHEC&keywords=darpan+ka+dil&qid=1678765997&sprefix=darpan+ka+dil%2Caps%2C153&sr=8-2 Abdul Raoof Siddiqui email: raoof3@yahoo.com Instagram @urdu.ghazal Visit our website: www.mstn.in #urdupoetry #alibabadarpan Thanks for listening! Follow us on instagram @urdu.ghazal and visit our website www.mstn.in

Poet, Playwright, Director Sarmad Sahbai is one of the most prominent poets of Pakistan. Abdul Raoof Siddiqui email: raoof3@yahoo.com Instagram @urdu.ghazal Visit our website: www.mstn.in #urdupoetry #sarmadshabai Thanks for listening! Follow us on instagram @urdu.ghazal and visit our website www.mstn.in

Kafi Bhopali was a popular Urdu Poet & lyricist. His ancestors had moved from Kashmir to Lucknow and then to Bhopal. He also wrote songs for films. Chalo Dildar Chalo sung by Mohd. Rafi, in Kamal Amrohi's 1972 classic, Pakeezah was written by him. He also wrote some popular ghazals that were sung by Jagjit Singh. Kaif Bhopali's daughter Parveen Kaif is a noted poet who participates in mushairas. Kaif Bhopali Real name Khwaja Mohammed Idrees Born: 20 February 1917 | Lucknow Pradesh, India Died: 24 July 1991 | Bhopal Madhya Pradesh, India Abdul Raoof Siddiqui email: raoof3@yahoo.com Instagram @urdu.ghazal Visit our website: www.mstn.in #urdupoetry #kaifbhopali Thanks for listening! Follow us on instagram @urdu.ghazal and visit our website www.mstn.in

Firaq Gorakhpuri a prominent Urdu poet who reached unprecedented heights of fame & acclaim, he is considered one of the most influential and electrifying poets of his time. According to Dr. Khawaja Ahmad Farooqi, “If it were not for Firaq, the land of our ghazals would be dull, its ascension would not be more than it would be a carbon copy of Persian master’s ghazals or imitating dead and lifeless Iranian traditions. Firaq stirred a whole generation and still does. He played an important role in nurturing poetry and despite being a poet of beauty and love, he looked at these subjects from a new angle. He not only expressed his feelings and emotions but also presented various results of consciousness and perception. He introduced the readers to the standards and values not only of Urdu but also of world literature and at the same time developed a healthy ideology by emphasizing the powerful aspects of modernity, geography and civilization. Having paved the way, he showed Urdu ghazal new horizons of meaning, thought, word and expression.” Firaq Gorakhpuri Real name Raghupati Sahai Born: 28 Aug 1896 | Gorakhpur, Uttar pradesh Died: 03 Mar 1982 | Delhi, India Awards: Sahitya Akademi Award (1960) | Jnanpith Award (1969) Abdul Raoof Siddiqui email: raoof3@yahoo.com Instagram @urdu.ghazal Visit our website: www.mstn.in #urdupoetry #firaqgorakhpuri Source: rekhta.org AUTHORITY CONTROL : The Library of Congress Control Number (LCCN) : n84018287 Thanks for listening! Follow us on instagram @urdu.ghazal and visit our website www.mstn.in

Dushyant Kumar was a very popular poet who started a new trend of hindi-ghazal. His poetry resonated with the conscience of readers and it has an undertone of fighting against injustice. Dushyant Kumar Tyagi Born: 01 Sept 1933 | Bijnor, Uttar Pradesh, India Died: 30 Dec 1975 | Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India Abdul Raoof Siddiqui email: raoof3@yahoo.com Instagram @urdu.ghazal Visit our website: www.mstn.in #urdupoetry #dushyantkumar Thanks for listening! Follow us on instagram @urdu.ghazal and visit our website www.mstn.in

Azm Behzaad is a prominent Urdu poet. He was the grandson of one of the great poets of Urdu Bahzad Lakhnawi. He was highly appreciated for his diction and metaphors. He was adored for his ‘tarannum’. He worked as an Urdu copywriter in an advertising. He also wrote scripts for radio and T.V programmes.His first book of poetry ‘Taabeer Se Pehley’ was published in 1997. Real Name: Mukhtar Ahmad Born: 31 Dec 1958 | Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan Died: 04 Mar 2011 | Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan Relatives: Behzad Lakhnavi (Grand Father) Abdul Raoof Siddiqui email: raoof3@yahoo.com Instagram @urdu.ghazal Visit our website: www.mstn.in #urdupoetry #azmbahzad Thanks for listening! Follow us on instagram @urdu.ghazal and visit our website www.mstn.in

Moin Ahsan Jazbi was one of the important Urdu poets of the Progressive Writers Movement. He was born on 21st Aug 1912 in Mubarakpur, Uttar Pradesh and died on 13th Feb 2005 in Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh, India. Jazbi stayed true to the classical literary tradition and embellished it with contemporary style. He completed M.A. in Urdu and joined the Urdu department of Aligarh Muslim University as Urdu faculty member. His thesis entitled “Hali ka Siyaasi Shuoor” earned him his degree of Ph. D. Abdul Raoof Siddiqui email: raoof3@yahoo.com Instagram @urdu.ghazal Visit our website: www.mstn.in #urdupoetry #moinahsanjazbi Thanks for listening! Follow us on instagram @urdu.ghazal and visit our website www.mstn.in

Shaz Tamkanat was a prominent Urdu poet from Hyderabad, India. He was born on January 31, 1933 in Hyderabad. Shaz Tamkanat was one of the real representatives of the literary traditions of Hyderabad. After completing his school education, he did his graduation and masters in Urdu language and literature from Osmania University and later in 1983, he was awarded doctorate for his thesis on the life and works of a prominent progressive poet Makhdoom Mohiuddin. He worked as a teacher and after serving in quite a few colleges joined the Department of Urdu, Osmania University as a Reader. His major works include Tarasheeda ( Poetry), Bayaz-e-Shaam (Poetry), Neem Khwab (Poetry), Makhdoom Mohiuddin, Hayat Aur Kaarnaamey (Ph. D. thesis published posthumously). He had won several awards including Imtiyaz-e-Mir and Andhra Pradesh Sahitya Academy Award. He passed away on August 18, 1985 in Hyderabad. Abdul Raoof Siddiqui email: raoof3@yahoo.com Instagram @urdu.ghazal Visit our website: www.mstn.in #urdupoetry #shaztamkanat Thanks for listening! Follow us on instagram @urdu.ghazal and visit our website www.mstn.in

Asrar-ul-Haq ‘Majaz’ was called Keats of Urdu Poetry. His poetry is still relevant 70 years after his death. Poets like Faiz Ahmad Faiz, Sardar Jafari, Makhdoom Mohi-ud-Din Jazbi, and Sahir Ludhianvi were not only his contemporaries but also his friends. His poems have a special place in Urdu literature. Abdul Raoof Siddiqui email: raoof3@yahoo.com Instagram @urdu.ghazal Visit our website: www.mstn.in #urdupoetry #majaz Thanks for listening! Follow us on instagram @urdu.ghazal and visit our website www.mstn.in

Aalok Shrivastav is a passionate Poet, Lyricist & a TV journalist from India. Aalok's Aameen (Poetry Collection) and Aafreen (Story Collection) are critically acclaimed literary works. Aalok is the only young poet whose literary works have been sung by ghazal maestro Jagjit Singh, Pankaj Udhas, Jaswinder Singh, Sudeep Banerji, Shankar Mahadevan, Rekha Bharadwaj, Shaan, Kailash Kher, Richa Sharma, Javed Ali, Malini Awasthi, Ustad Rashid Khan, Shubha Mudgal and legendary bollywood actor Amitabh Bachchan. Abdul Raoof Siddiqui email: raoof3@yahoo.com Instagram @urdu.ghazal Visit our website: www.mstn.in #urdupoetry #aalokshrivastav Thanks for listening! Follow us on instagram @urdu.ghazal and visit our website www.mstn.in