# Manzar Bhopali

Syed Ali Raza, known by his takhallus (pen name) of Manzar Bhopali, is an Indian Urdu poet. He was born in Amravati. During his teenage years, Manzar started taking interest in poetry and attended his first mushaira at the age of 17. Over the course of 3 decades, he has penned more than a dozen books in Hindi and Urdu.

## Early life

Manzar Bhopali was born on 29 December 1959 in Amrawati, Maharashtra, India. He is the third of four children. His grandfather, Mir Khairat Ali was a hakeem in Achalpur. His father, Mir Abbas Ali worked in the field of Urdu arts and literature and was also a poet. His mother, Tahira Nikhat was an educationist. His family moved from Amrawati to Bhopal when Manzar was very young. Growing up, Manzar was greatly influenced by the poetic culture at his home and the city of Bhopal. He started writing his own couplets when he was fourteen and said his first ghazal at the age of seventeen.

## Career

In a career spanning more than three decades, Manzar has recited his poetry in thousands of Mushairas in five continent and two dozen countries. He attended his first international Mushaira in Karachi, Pakistan in 1987. Some of the countries, he has recited his poetry are: USA (26 tours since 1992), Australia (7 tours), Canada (8 tours), Pakistan (18 tours), Iran (2 tours), Saudi Arabia (13 tours), Oman (16 tours), Qatar (11 tours), Dubai (18 tours), Kuwait (8 tours), Sharjah, England, Tanzania, Norway, Malaysia, Thailand, Jordon, Singapore, The Kingdom of Bahrain, and The Netherlands.

## Awards and honours

Manzar has been honored with several awards, both in India and abroad. He was given honorary citizenship in Louisville, Kentucky and was felicitated with the key to the city. In April 2018, he was honored with the 'Pride of Madhya Pradesh' Award by the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, for his contribution to Urdu and Hindi literature.
* Citation from the County Comptroller Hon. George Maragos, Nassau County, New York
* Mehboob e Urdu Award, Santa Monica, USA
* Honor from Aligarh Alumni Association, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
* Lifetime Achievement Award, Awam-e-Urdu, Orlando, Canada
* Honor from Pakistan Association of Utah, USA
* Rashtriya Ekta Award, Hindi Urdu Ekta committee, Lucknow
* Sahitya Ratan, Geetanjali Organisation
* Shaadan Indori Award, MP Urdu Academy
* Savitri Foundation Sahitya Award, Lucknow
* Ittehade-Millat Nida Fazli Award, Lucknow
* Sheri Bhopali Award, Sheri Academy, Bhopal
* Ghazal Award, Bazme-Adab, Washington
* Bhim Ratna Award, Nagpur
* Honor from Geetanjali Organisation, London, UK
* Jashne-Manzar Bhopali, Windsor Canada
* Ek Shaam Manzar Bhopali ke Naam, Mandsaur University, Mandsaur
* Nishaane-Urdu, Sydney, Australia
* Honour from Gehwara E Adab, Atlanta, USA
* Sahitya Saraswat, Hindi Sahitya Sammelan, Prayag, Allahabad
* Mirza Ghalib Award, New Delhi

## List of Publications

Manzar has published several books, in Urdu, Hindi, and English.
* Ye Sadi Hamari hai, 1991
* Zindagi, published in Karachi, Pakistan, 1992
* Lahu Rang Mausam, 1996
* Manzar Ek Bulandi par, 2000
* Udas Kyun Ho, published in India and Pakistan, 2006
* Lava, published in India and Pakistan, 2009
* Zamane Ke Liye, Urdu Hindi and English, 2011
* Haasil, published in India and Pakistan, Urdu 2012
* Tishnagi, Urdu, 2013
* Taveez, Hindi, 2016
* Betiyon Ke Liye, Hindi 2016
* Sae mein chale aao, a collection of 1000 poems by poets from all across the world, 2016

## Personal life

Manzar is married to Tabassum Manzar and lives in Bhopal with his family. He is graduated from Barkatullah University.