Tribute to the Indian Poet Kaifi Azmi on his 101st Birthday
Introduction
Sayyid Athar Hussein Rizvi, well known as Kaifi Azmi.He was born on 14 January 1919.
Died on 10th May 2002 (aged 83)
Azmi was born into a Shia Muslim family in the village of Mizwaan in Azamgarh district, Uttar Pradesh, India.
Azmi was married to Shaukhat Azmi. Out of that marriage, they have a daughter, Shabana Azmi, and a son Baba Azmi. Azmi's daughter-in-law Tanvi Azmi (wife of Baba Azmi) is also a famous Television actor.
Early Life & his Career
At the age of eleven, Azmi wrote his very first ghazal 'Itna To Zindagi Mein Kisi Ki Khalal Pade' & he managed to get himself invited to a mushaira, where he recited a ghazal, rather a couplet of the ghazal which was appreciated by the President of the Mushaira, Mani Jaisi, but most of the people, including his father thought he recited his elder brother's ghazal. When his elder brother denied the fact, his father & clerk decided to test his poetic talent. Then, Azmi was given with one of the lines of a couplet & asked him to write a ghazal in the same meter & rhyme. Azmi has not just accepted the challenge, fortunately, he completed a ghazal.Azmi joined the Communist Party at the age of 19, & started writing for the party's paper, 'Qaumi Jung' & moved to Bombay.
And, shortly thereafter became a full-time Marxist when he accepted membership of the Communist Party of India in 1943.
He wrote his first lyrics for the film Buzdil directed by Shahid Lateef in 1952.
Famous songs are from:
Shama, Kaagaz ke Phool, Shola Aur Shabnam, Anupama, Aakhri Khat, Haqeeqat, Hanste Zakhm, Arth and many more.
Apart from writing songs, he also wrote Chetan Anand's film Heer Ranjha entirely in verse & created history in dialogue writing.
He won the National Award & Filmfare Award for the screenplay & dialogue of M.S. Sathyu's masterpiece, 'Garm Hawa'.
His major Awards include:
- Padma Shri
- Sahitya Akademi Fellowship
- Sahitya Akademi Award
- Maharashtra Gaurav Award by Government of Maharashtra
- Yash Bhartiya Award by Government of Uttar Pradesh
- Delhi Government State Award
- Soviet Land Nehru Award
- Afro-Asian Writers Lotus Award
He's been honored with Doctorates from Purvanchal University, Vishwa Bharti University in Shanti Niketan, and many more.
Purvanchal University has instituted the 'Kaifi Azmi Media Centre' in Jaunpur.
He was the All India President of the Indian People Theatre Association (IPTA).
He set up an NGO Mijwan Welfare Society that runs
- The Kaifi Azmi High School for Girls
- Kaifi Azmi Inter College for Girls
- Kaifi Azmi Computer Training Centre
- Kaifi Azmi Sewing & Embroidery Centre
In a period of 15 years, he transformed Mijwan, a village frozen in time to a model village.
Tribute
The government has also inaugurated a train named 'Kaifiyat Express' which runs from his hometown Azamgarh to Old Delhi.
Also refer: http://www.azmikaifi.com/
Special books:
Kaifi and I: A Memoir https://amzn.to/2soGOEv
Awara Sajade https://amzn.to/2RjMOGO
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