Remembering Jan Nisar Akhtar on his Death Anniversary

Jan Nisar Akhtar (18 February 1914 – 19 August 1976) was an important 20th century Indian poet of Urdu ghazals ,nazmsand Lyricist.He was born in 1914, in Gwalior, India, into a family of Sunni theologians, scholars and poets. His father Muztar Khairabadi was poet as was his father's elder brother, Bismil Khairabadi, while his great grandfather, Fazl-e-Haq Khairabadi, a scholar of Islamic studies and theology, 
Jan Nisar passed his matriculation from Victoria Collegiate High School, Gwalior, and in 1930 joined Aligarh Muslim University, from where he gained his B.A. Honours and M.A. degrees. He started his doctoral work, but had to return to Gwalior due to family conditions.
On his return, he joined Victoria College, Gwalior, as an Urdu Lecturer. Meanwhile in 1943, he married Safiya Siraj-ul Haq, also an alumnus of AMU, and the sister of poet Majaz Luckknawi, their two sons, Javed and Salman were born in 1945 and 1946 respectively. Post-independence riots in Gwalior forced him to shift base to Bhopal, where he joined the Hamidia College as Head of Department of Urdu and Persian,

Meri Neendon Mein Tum in Naya Andaz

In 1949, he resigned from his job, moved to Bombay to write lyrics for Urdu/Hindi movies besides ghazals and nazms for general publication. Once in Bombay, he came in touch with other progressive writers, like Mulk Raj Anand, Krishan Chander, Rajinder Singh Bedi and Ismat Chugtai,
He had a career breakthrough, with Yasmeen (1955), with music by C. Ramchandra.Some of his notable lyrics were, Meri Neendon Mein Tum in Naya Andaz (1956) by Kishore Kumar,Shamshad Begum, Garib Jan Key Hamko Naa Tum Daga Dena sung by Mohd. Rafi in Chhoo Mantar, the hit Piya piya piya... in Baap Re Baap (1955) music by O.P. Nayyar,Aap Yun Faaslon Se by Lata Mangeshkar in Shankar Hussain (1977).

 Garib Jan Key Hamko Naa Tum Daga Dena 

The immortal song "Ankhon Hi Ankhon Mein Ishara Ho Gaya"from C I D was written by him,music was given by O P Nayyar

Ankhon Hi Ankhon Mein Ishara Ho Gaya

.Another hit song was from Prem Parbat, music was given by Jaidev sung by Lata"Yeh Dil Aur Unki Nigahon Ke Saye"

Yeh Dil Aur Unki Nigahon Ke Saye"

He wrote and produced a film, Bahu Begum (1967), starring Pradeep Kumar and Meena Kumari. During the period of four-year to his death he published three collections of his works most important of them being, Khak-e-Dil (The Ashes of Heart"), which has his representative poems from 1935 to 1970, and which won him the Sahitya Akademi Award(Urdu) in 1976

Duniya Kare Sawal from Bahu Begum

He died in Bombay on 19 August 1976, while he was still working on Kamal Amrohi's film, Razia Sultan (1983).The famous Ghazal by Lata" Ae Dile Nadan" was from this film.

Ae Dile Nadan from Razia Sultan

 He was nominated posthumously for 1980 Filmfare Best Lyricist Award for "Aaja Re Mere Dilbar" from the film, Noorie.