aaj ik aur baras biit gayā us ke baġhair
jis ke hote hue hote the zamāne mere
Known for his strong commitment to Progressive Writers Movement, Wamiq Jaunpuri earned his reputation for his unwavering adherence to Marxist ideology and continuing with that all through his life. While expressing his ideology in poetry, he also kept nourishing the dreams of life and times that would ensure liberation from oppression and create conditions for deliverance of social justice.
He was born on 23 October, 1909 in a zamindar family of a small place called Kajgaon in the district of Jaunpur, UP, and was named Ahmad Mujtaba Zaidi. His father, Ahmad Mustafa, was a civil servant and worked as Deputy Collector. After receiving his early education at Barabanki, he shifted to Faizabad for his school education. He earned his degree of LL. B. from Lucknow and practised law but his poetic temperament did not allow him to continue with this profession for long. Following his meeting with Sajjad Zaheer and considering the political climate of his times, he sought space for freedom movement in his poetry. Although he joined government service in 1933, he continued his writing in that mode secretly and came up with compositions marked by protest and rebellion.
Wamiq Jaunpuri keenly pursued his interest in calligraphy, painting, and gardening. He received prestigious awards like Uttar Pradesh Urdu Akademy Award, Meer Award, and Soviet Land Nehru Award. Jaras, Cheekhein, Shab Chiragh, and Safar Natamaam are the collections of his poems. He passed away on 21 November, 1998.
Jashn-e-Rekhta | 13-14-15 December 2024 - Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium , Gate No. 1, New Delhi
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