Naushad Ali was one of the foremost music directors of Hindi Film Industry. Naushad was conferred the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 1982, and the Padma Bhushan in 1992. Naushad Ali was born in Lucknow, son of a munshi (court clerk) who wanted his son to follow his footsteps. Naushad moved to Bombay in 1937 and began living on the pavements near the film studio in Dadar. After initial struggle, his success finally came in the 1940s. Naushad was also a respected and published poet and formally launched his book of Urdu poetry entitled Aathwaan Sur ("The Eighth Note").