Akbar Allahabadi

Akbar Allahabadi (1846 – 1921) was an Indian Urdu poet and humorist. He is known as the “Shaayar–e–Aazam“ (Greatest Poet) of Urdu poetry. Allahabadi was born in Allahabad, India. He received his early education at home, after which he attended a madrassa. He was a polymath and was equally at ease with the Quran, hadith, history, literature, and philosophy. He moved to Delhi in 1867, where he wrote for various newspapers and magazines. He wrote his first book, “The Craft of Poetry“ in 1875, which gained him immense fame. He also wrote a number of ghazals, nazms, and ruba‘iyat. His poems are known for their wit and satire, and he is often credited with being the first modern Urdu poet. In 1878, he moved to Bombay, where he wrote for several newspapers. He also wrote plays and was a popular stage performer. He was also a prominent figure in the Urdu literary circles of the time.