Urdu Poets
The following is a List of Urdu-language poets.
Ghulam Hamdani Mushafi, the poet first believed to have coined the name "Urdu" around 1780 AD for a language that went by a multiplicity of names before his time. 
13th century
| Poet | Image | Pen Name | Era | Work |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amir Khusro |  |
(1253–1325) | Tuhfat-us-Sigh | |
| Bande Nawaz | |
(1321–1442) | ||
| Kabir |  |
(15th century) |
15th century
| Poet | Image | Pen Name | Era | Work |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Meera |  |
Mira Bai | 1498 |
16th century
| Poet | Image | Pen Name | Era | Work |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ibrahim Quli Qutb Shah Wali | 1518 – 5 June 1580 | |||
| Abdul Rahim Khan-I-Khana |  |
(1556 – 1627) | Wrote poetry primarily in Persian, but also in Hindavi | |
| Ali Adil Shah I |  |
1558–1579 | ||
| Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah |  |
(1565–1611) | Kulliyat-e-Quli Qutub Shah wrote poetry primarily in Persian, but also in Hindavi | |
| Ibrahim Adil Shah II |  |
1571 – 12 September 1627 | ||
| Chandar Bhan Brahman | unknown – 1662 | Brahman was appointed as court chronicler and he was give responsibility for maintaining Shah Jahan's personal diary. He wrote a memoir Chahar Chaman |
17th century
| Poet | Image | Pen Name | Era | Work |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nusrati | 
|
(died 1674) | ||
| Mirza Abdul Qadir Bedil Dehlavi | Bedil | (1642-1720) | ||
| Wali Muhammad Wali |
|
Wali Deccani | (1667–1707) | |
| Shah Mubarak Abroo | (1683–1733) | |||
| Siraj-ud-Din Ali Khan Arzu | Arzu | (1687–1756) | Mehr-o-Mah, Guka-ri-Kayal | |
| Mirza Mazhar Jan-e-Janaan |
|
Jan-e-Janaan | (1699–1781) | Majmua-Urdu-Ashaar |
18th century
- Mirza Muhammad Rafi, Sauda (1713–1780)
- Siraj Aurangabadi, Siraj (1715–1763)
- Mohammad Meer Soz Dehlvi, Soz (1720-1799)
- Khwaja Mir Dard, Dard (1721–1785)
- Qayem Chandpuri, Muhammad Qyamuddin Ali Qayem (1722–1793)
- Mir Taqi Mir, Mir (1723–1810)
- Nazeer Akbarabadi, Nazeer (1740–1830)
- Qalandar Bakhsh Jurat, Jurat (1748–1810)
- Mashafi Shaikh Ghulam Hamdani, Mas'hafi (1750–1824)
- Insha Allah Khan 'Insha', Insha (1756–1817)
- Saadat Yaar Khan Rangin, Rangin (1757–1835)
- Bahadur Shah, Zafar (1775–1862)
- Imam Baksh Nasikh, Nasikh (1776–1838)
- Khwaja Haidar Ali Atish, Atish (1778–1846)
- Muhammad Ibrahim Khan, Zauq (1789–1854)
- Mirza Asadullah Khan Ghalib, Ghalib (1797–1869)
- Chhannu Lal Dilgeer, Ghulam Hussain (1780–1848)
19th century
- Momin Khan Momin, Momin (1801–1852)
- Mirza Salaamat Ali Dabeer (Mirza Salaamat Ali), Dabeer (1803–1875)
- Mir Babar Ali Anis, Anis (1803–1874)
- Daya Shankar Kaul Nasim (1811–1845)
- Amir Meenai, Amir (1828–1900)
- Dagh Dehlvi (Nawab Mirza Khan), Daagh (1831–1905)
- Altaf Hussain Hali (Hali Panipati), Hali (1837–1914)
- Akbar Allahabadi (Syed Akbar Hussain), Akbar (1846–1921)
- Ahmed Raza Khan Barelvi (Maulana Ahmed Raza Khan Barelvi), Raza (1856–1921)
- Hassan Raza Khan Barelvi (Maulana Hassan Raza Khan Barelvi), Hassan (1859-1908)
- Bekhud Badayuni (Muhammad Abdul-Hayy Siddiqui), Bekhud (1857–1912)
- Shibli Nomani (Allama Shibli Nomani). Shibli (1857–1914)
- Muztar Khairabadi (1862–1927)
- Alam (1868–1937)
- Zaigham (d. 1869)
- Tashna (1872–1931)
- Zafar Ali Khan (1873–1956)
- Arzoo Lakhnavi (1873–1951)
- Syed Ghulam Bhik Nairang (1875–1952)
- Hasrat Mohani (Syed Fazlul Hussain), Hasrat (1875–1951)
- Dil Shahjahanpuri (Zameer Hasan Khan), Dil (1875–1959)
- Allama Muhammad Iqbal (Allama Iqbal), Iqbal (1877–1938)
- Mohammad Ali Jauhar (Maulana Jauhar), Jauhar (1878-1931)
- Fani Badayuni (Shaukat Ali Khan), Fani (1879–1941)
- Seemab Akbarabadi (Ashiq Hussain) (1882–1951)
- Brij Narayan Chakbast (1882–1926)
- Bekhud Dehlvi (Syed Wahiduddin Ahmed) (1882–1955)
- Niaz Fatehpuri (Maulana Niyaz Muhammad Khan) (1882–1966)
- Yagana Changezi (Mirza Wajid Hussain Yaas) Yaas (1883–1956)
- Josh Malsiyani (Labhu Ram) Josh (1883–1976)
- Asghar Gondvi (Asghar Hussain Asghar), Asghar (1884-1936)
- Tilok Chand Mehroom (1887–1966)
- Qamar Jalalvi (1887–1968)
- Amjad Hyderabadi (Amjad Hussain), Amjad (1888-1961)
- Jigar Moradabadi (Ali Sikandar), Jigar (1890–1960)
- Raaz Chandpuri (Mohd. Sadiq) (1892–1969)
- Hakim Ahmad Shuja (1893–1969)
- Josh Malihabadi (Shabbir Hassan Khan), Josh (1894–1982)
- Muhammad Mustafa Jauhar, Jauhar (1895– 1985)
- Firaq Gorakhpuri (Raghupati Sahay), Firaq (1896–1982)
- Ram Prasad Bismil (1897–1927)
- Abr Ahasani Gunnauri (Ahmed Baksh) Abr (1897–1973)
- Munavvar Lakhnavi Bisheshwar Prasad Munavvar (1897–1970)
- Abdur Rauf Urooj (c. 1932–1990)
1900
- Maghfoor Ahmad Ajazi (1900–1966)
- Hafeez Jalandhari (Mohd.Hafeez), Hafeez (1900–1982)
- Talib Chakwali Manohar Lal Kapur ‘Talib’ (1900–1988)
- Pandit Harichand Akhtar ('Akhtar') (1901–1958)
- Alam Muzaffarnagari (Muhammad Ishaaq) (1901–1969)
- Bismil Saeedi (1901–1977)
- Khushtar Girami (Dewan Ram Rakhamal Kalia) (1902–1988)
- Anand Narain Mulla (1901–1997)
- Zaheen Shah Taji (1902–1978)
- Syed Sajjad Zaheer (1904–1973)
- Zulfiqar Ali Bukhari (1904–1975)
- Akhtar Sheerani (Mohd.Dawood Khan) (1905–1948)
- Saghar Nizami (1905–1984)
- Abid Ali Abid (1906–1971)
- Gopal Mittal (1906–1993)
- Ratan Pandoravi (Rala Ram), Ratan (1907–1998)
- Makhdum Muhiuddin (1908–1969)
- Arsh Malsiani (Bal Mukund) (1908–1979)
- Majaz (Asrar-ul-Haq), Majaz (1909–1955)
- Abdul Hamid Adam (1909–1981)
- Sayyid Ahmedullah Qadri, Lisan ul Mulk(1909–1985)
- Kunwar Mohinder Singh Bedi Sahar, Sahar (1909-1998)
1910
- Noon Meem Rashid (1910–1975)
- Faiz Ahmed Faiz, Faiz (1911–1984)
- Syed Faiz-ul Hassan Shah (1911–1984)
- Aijaz Siddiqi (1911–1978)
- Ravish Siddiqi (Ravish) (1911–1971)
- Nushoor Wahidi (1911–1981)
- Meeraji (1912–1949)
- Shifa Gwaliori (1912–1968)
- Shamim Karhani (1913–1975)
- Mehr Lal Soni Zia Fatehabadi (1913–1986)
- Dr. Rafiq Hussain (1913–1990)
- Sahir Hoshiarpuri (1913–1994)
- Ali Sardar Jafri (1913–2000)
- Raza Naqvi Wahi (1914–2002)
- Mir Gul Khan Nasir (1914–1983)
- Rais Amrohvi (1914–1988)
- Ehsan Danish (1914–1982)
- Jan Nisar Akhtar (1914–1976)
- Majeed Amjad (1914–1974)
- Sikandar Ali Wajd (1914–1983)
- Akhtar ul Iman (1915–1996)
- Ahmed Nadeem Qasmi, Nadeem (1916–2006)
- Zamir Jafri, Zamir (1916–1999)
- Shakeel Badayuni (1916–1970)
- Agha Shorish Kashmiri (Agha Abdul Kareem) Shorish (1917–1975)
- Shan-ul-Haq Haqqee (1917–2005)
- Rishi Patialvi (Bam Dev Sharma) Rishi (1917–1999)
- Jagan Nath Azad (1918–2004)
- Kaifi Azmi (1918–2002)
- Fikr Taunsvi (1918-1987)
- Naeem Hashmi (1919–1976)
- Majrooh Sultanpuri (1919–2000)
- Khumar Barabankvi, Khumar (1919–1999)
- Qateel Shifai, Qateel (1919–2001)
- Masud Husain Khan (1919–2010)
1920
- Salaam Machhalishahari, Salaam (1921–1972)
- Sahir Ludhianvi, Sahir (1921–1980)
- Krishan Mohan, Krishan Lal Krishan Mohan (1922–2004)
- Wazir Agha (1922–2010)
- Sulaiman Areeb (1922–1970)
- Nazish Pratapgarhi, Nazish (1924–1981)
- Ada Jafri (1924–)
- Nasir Kazmi, Nasir (1925–1972)
- Bekas Akbarabadi, M.G Gupta wrote Urdu anthology, Rahat-i-Ruh (2004),(1925–2011)
- Rahi Masoom Raza (1925–1992)
- Himayat Ali Shair, Shair (1926)
- Kanwal Ziai Hardayal Singh Datta (1927–2012)
- Naresh Kumar Shad (1927–1969)
- Ibn-e-Insha, Insha (1927–1978)
- Bekal Utsahi (1928–2016)
- Sagar Siddiqui (1928–1974)
- Raja Mehdi Ali Khan (1928–1966)
- Habib Jalib (1928–1993)
- Dilawar Figar (1928–1998)
- Munir Niazi (1928–2006)
- Shabnam Romani, Shabnam (1928–2009)
- Mazhar Imam (1928–2012)
- Wasif Ali Wasif (1929–1993)
- Dilawar Figar (1929-1998)
1930
- Mustafa Zaidi (1930–1970)
- Harbans Bhalla (1930–1993)
- Ahmad Faraz (1931–2008)
- Jon Elia (1931–2003)
- Rajendar Nath Rehbar (1931)
- Satyapal Anand (1931)
- Syed Amin Ashraf (1931)
- Shakeb Jalali (1932–1966)
- Rajinder Manchanda Bani Bani (1932–1981)
- Mohsin Bhopali (1932–2007)
- Sardar Panchhi (1932)
- Muzaffar Warsi (1933–2011)
- Syed Waheed Ashraf (1933)
- Waheed Akhtar (1934–1996)
- Sudarshan Faakir (1934–2008)
- Murtaza Birlas (1934)
- Mohsin Zaidi (1935–2003)
- Anwar Masood (1935)
- Bashar Nawaz (1935-2015)
- Aftab Iqbal Shamim (1936)
- Adil Mansuri (1936–2009)
- Akhlaq Mohammed Khan (Shahryar) (1936–2012)
- Gulzar (1936)
- Shahzad A. Rizvi (1937)
- Unwan Chishti Iftikharul Hasan Unwan (1937–2004)
- Nida Fazli (1938-2016)
- Makhmoor Saeedi (1938–2010)
- Syed Mahmood Khundmiri (1938–2011)
- Obaidullah Aleem (1939–1997)
- Allama Talib Jauhari (1939– )
1940
- Mahmood Shaam (1940)
- Kishwar Naheed (1940)
- Jazib Qureshi (1940)
- Riaz Ahmed Gohar Shahi (1941)
- Ahfaz ur Rahman (1942)
- Iftikhar Arif (1943)
- Shamim Farooqui (1943–2014)
- Amjad Islam Amjad (1944)
- Ghulam Muhammad Qasir, Qasir (1944–1999)
- Bashir Badr (1945)
- Javed Akhtar (1945)
- Anwer Zahidi (1946)
- Afzal Ahmed Syed (1946)
- Shamim Hashimi (1947)
- Saleem Kausar (1947)
- Mohsin Naqvi (1947-1996)
- Syed Ali Akhtar Rizvi, Sha'oor(1948–2002)
- Muhammad Izhar ul Haq (1948)
- Fehmida Riaz (1948)
- Pir Naseer-uddin-Naseer (1949–2009)
- Zameer Akhtar Naqvi (1944-2020)
1950
- Rahat Indori (1950–2020)
- Zahid Abrol (1950)
- Jamal Ehsani (1951–1998)
- Ashfaq Hussain (1951–)
- Haider Qureshi (1952–)
- Munawwar Rana (1952–)
- Parveen Shakir (1952–1994)
- Abdul Hamid (1953–)
- Sara Shagufta (1954–1984)
- Kazim Jarwali (1955–)
- Sibt-e-Jaafar Zaidi (1957-2013)
- Noon Meem Danish (1958–)
- Salma Shaheen (1954)
1960
- Fareed Parbati (1961)
- Samina Raja (1961)
- Anjum Rehbar (1962)
- Zahida Hina (1962–)
- Raees Warsi (1963)
- Zulfiqar Naqvi (1965)
- Harris Khalique (1966)
- Idris Azad (1969)
- Riaz Tasneem (1969)
1970
- Irshad Kamil (1971)
- Akhtar Raza Saleemi (1974)
- Ali Akbar Natiq (1974)
- Sarim Momin (1978)
Non-Muslim Urdu poets
- Maharaja Chandu Lal Sadan (1766 – 1845)
- Mah Laqa Bai (1768-1824)
- Daya Shankar Kaul Nasim (1811–1845)
- Maharaja Sir Kishen Pershad, Shad (1864-1940)
- Brij Mohan Dattatreya Kaifi (1866 – 1955)
- Brij Narayan Chakbast (1882–1926)
- Tilok Chand Mehroom (1887–1966)
- Firaq Gorakhpuri (Raghupati Sahay) Firaq (1896–1982)
- Ram Prasad Bismil (1897–1927)
- Pandit Harichand Akhtar ('Akhtar') (1901–1958)
- Anand Narain Mulla (1901–1997)
- Khushtar Girami (Dewan Ram Rakhamal Kalia) (1902–1988)
- Gopal Mittal (1906–1993)
- Ratan Pandoravi (Rala Ram) Ratan (1907–1998)
- Arsh Malsiani (Bal Mukund) (1908–1979)
- Sahir Hoshiarpuri (1913–1994)
- Mehr Lal Soni Zia Fatehabadi (1913–1986)
- Rishi Patialvi (Bam Dev Sharma) Rishi (1917–1999)
- Jagan Nath Azad (1918–2004)
- Bhupendra Nath Kaushik (1924 – 2007)
- Krishna Kumar Sharma (1924–2001)
- Kanwal Ziai Hardayal Singh Datta (1927–2012)
- Naresh Kumar Shad (1927–1969)
- Harbans Bhalla (1930–1993)
- Satyapal Anand (1931)
- Raj Pathria (1933)
- Dushyant Kumar (1933–1975)
- Rajendar Nath Rehbar (1931)
- Sudarshan Faakir (1934–2008)
- Mohinder Pratap Chand (1935)
- Jayant Parmer (1954)
- Fahmi Badayuni (1952–2024)
20th century
- Mashal Sultanpuri (1937 – October 2020)
- Meena Kumari (1 August 1933 - 31 March 1972)
Contemporary poets
- Fuzail Ahmad Nasiri (b. 1978)
Poets with unknown dates of birth
- Saleem Kausar,
- Shahin Badar,
- Siraj Aurangabadi,
- Ziauddin Ahmad,
- Sadhu Singh Hamdard
- Qamar Jalalabadi
- Kanwal Ziai
Contemporary poets with unknown dates of birth
See also
References
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Urdu writers.
- ^ Garcia, Maria Isabel Maldonado. "The Urdu language reforms." Studies 26 (2011): 97.
