Celebrated progressive Urdu poetess Aziz Bano Darab Wafa was born on 23rd August 1926, in Badaun. She belonged to the Darabu family of Srinagar, where her ancestors traded in Shawls with the French. In 1801, her grandfather Azizuddin, a famous Persian teacher and poet, migrated with his father to Lucknow at the age of eight and settled here. Her grandfather Khawaja Wasiuddin was a Deputy Collector and her father Sharifuddin Darab was a doctor. Her family, despite their ancient traditions, was supportive of women's education. She did her BA from Thoburn College and MA in English from Lucknow University in 1949. Shortly afterward, she became a lecturer of English at a girl’s college.
She started writing poetry at the age of 23. Initially, she was inclined towards writing fiction and novels. Poetry was just pacifying and therapeutic to her; she had never considered publishing a Divan of any sort. When in 1960, Sultana Begam organized a Mushaira in which Aziz Bano too was performing, her poetry garnered praises from Indra Gandhi herself, who was presiding over the Mushaira. She also gained public acceptance by reciting her Ghazals in many radio programs, on popular demand. Her collection of poems, ‘Guunj’, was published posthumously. Aziz Bano passed away on 13th January 2005.
