# List of Urdu poets

The following is a List of Urdu-language poets.

## 13th century

| Poet | 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 | 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 | 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)
* Saqib Lakhnavi (1869–1946)
* 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)
* Zamin Ali, Zamin (1893–1955)
* 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

* Kaif Bhopali
* Sayeed Quadri
* Khalid Irfan
* Kashmiri Lal Zakir