Prominent fiction writer and recipient of the prestigious Padma Shri award, Kashmiri Lal Zakir, was born on 07 April, 1919 at Baibanayan , Gujarat, Pakistan. He got his early education in the schools at Pooncch and Srinagar. Later, he got his B. A. and M. A. degrees from Punjab University. He subscribed to the ideology of the Progressive Writers Movement which is evident in his fiction quite clearly. Although he began his literary career as a poet but he distinguished himself as a fiction writer and remained in close association with his contemporaries like Krishna Chander, Saadat Hasan Manto, Upender Nath Ashk, Rajinder Singh Bedi, and Bhishm Sahni. He was deeply touched by the socio-political condition of his times which is well borne out by his works like Jab Kashmir Jal Raha Tha, Angoothe Ka Nishaan, Udaas Shaam Ke Aakhiri Lamhey, Khoon Phir Khoon Hai, Aik Ladki Bhatki Hui. A prolific writer on a variety of subjects, he published more than a hundred books. He passed away in 2016.