Akhlaq Mohammed Khan Shahryar | |
|---|---|
| Born | 16 June 1936 Aonla, United Provinces, British India |
| Died | 13 February 2012 (aged 75) Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh, India |
| Occupation | Educator, Poet, Lyricist |
| Language | Urdu |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Alma mater | Aligarh Muslim University |
| Genre | Ghazal, Nazm |
| Subject | Love, Philosophy |
| Notable awards | Sahitya Akademi Award (1987) Jnanpith Award (2008) |
Akhlaq Mohammad Khan (16 June 1936 – 13 February 2012), better known by his takhallus Shahryar, was an Indian academic, and a doyen of Urdu poetry in India.[1][2] As a Hindi film lyricist, he is best known for his lyrics in Gaman (1978) and Umrao Jaan (1981) directed by Muzaffar Ali. He retired as the head of the Urdu Department at the Aligarh Muslim University, and thereafter he remained sought after name in mushairas or poetic gatherings, and also co-edited the literary magazine Sher-o-Hikmat.[3]
He was awarded the Sahitya Akademi Award in Urdu for Khwab Ka Dar Band Hai (1987), and in 2008 he won the Jnanpith Award, the highest literary award and only the fourth Urdu poet to win the award.[3] He has been widely acknowledged as the finest exponent of modern Urdu poetry.