About Kaifi

KAIFI AZMI‘s real name was ATHAR HUSAIN RIZVI. Born in a Zamindar family in MIJWAN, Azamgarh U.P., KAIFI AZMI wrote his first ghazal ‘ITNA TO ZINDAGI MEIN KISI KI KHALAL PADE‘ at the age of eleven. It was immortalized by BEGUM AKHTAR and is sung even today.

He joined the Communist Party at the age of 19, started writing for the Party’s paper ‘QAUMI JUNG‘ and moved to Bombay.

He wrote his first lyric for ‘BUZDIL‘ directed bySHAHID LATEEF in 1952. His noted film songs are from Shama, Kaagaz Ke Phool, Shola Aur Shabnam, Anupama, Aakhri Khat, Haqeeqat, Hanste Zakhm, Arth etc. Apart from writing songs, he also wrote CHETAN ANAND’S film ‘HEER RANJHA‘ entirely in verse and created history in dialogue writing.

He won the NATIONAL AWARD and FILMFARE AWARD for screenplay and dialogue of M.S. SATHYU’S master piece, ‘GARM HAWA‘

Recognised as one of the finest URDU Poet of our times, KAIFI AZMI is the most awarded Urdu poet of India. Awards include PADMA SHRI, SAHITYA AKADEMI AWARD, MAHARASHTRA GAURAV AWARD, YUVA BHARTIYA AWARD and the prestigious international AFRO- ASIAN WRITERS LOTUS AWARDalong with countless other awards.

He has been honoured with Doctorates from many universities in India, the most prestigious being from the VISHVA BHARTI UNIVERSITY in SHANTI NIKETAN.

He has had several JASHN – E- KAIFI’s in his honour, both in India and abroad, such as in the United States of America, Dubai, Doha and Pakistan.

He was the All India President of the INDIAN PEOPLES THEATRE ASSOCIATION (IPTA) and an active member of he Progressive Writers Association (PWA).

He believes that poetry should be used as an instrument for social change and has written several poems against communalism, religious fundamentalism and for the rights of women. His best known poems are ‘AURAT’, MAKAAN’, ‘DAAERA’, ‘SAANP, ‘BAHUROOPNI’ etc.

Published works are -

• JHANKAR
• AKHIR – E – SHAB
• AWARA SAJDE
• SARMAYA
• Kaifiyaat – complete works selected Poems translated by PAVAN KUMAR VERMA in English has been published by Penguin Books.
• NAI GULISTAN Vol. I & II in Hindi compilation- a weekly column entirely in verse that he used to write in URDU BLITZ published by Rajkamal.
• MERI AWAZ SUNO a selection of his film lyrics in Hindi published by Rajkamal
• The Hindi script of Chetan Anand’s memorable film HEER RANJHA, entirely in verse and hence one of a kind, has been published by Vani Prakashan
• A selection of Nazms, Gazals & Lyrics has been published by Rajpal & Sons
• A collection of his Nazms & Ghazals SHAGUFTAGI set to music by Khayyam has been released by Music Today.

KAIFI AZMI adopted MIJWAN, the tiny village he was born in Azamgarh U.P. In a span of 15 years he has transformed MIJWAN from a village in oblivion to a model village. It now has three schools, a maternity ward an employment generation centre for women and a Computer Training Centre. His dream was to build a Degree College there.

In recognition of his efforts, the U.P. Govt. named the road leading to Mijwan KAIFI AZMI ROAD and the highway from Sultanpur to Phulpur theKAIFI AZMI HIGHWAY. He has acted in Saeed Mirza’s award winning film ‘NASEEM‘.

HE WAS CONFERRED WITH THE SAHITYA AKADEMI FELLOWSHIP 2002.

He is married to noted stage actress SHAUKAT KAIFI and has two children, celebrities in their own right, SHABANA and BABA AZMI.