Dr. Ali Ahmad Jalili, son of the great poet Jalil Manikpuri, not only had a reputation as a good poet but also had a special fondness for literary criticism. He was born on June 22, 1921, in Hyderabad, Deccan. He did his M.A. from Osmania University and later did his Ph.D. in Urdu, eventually becoming a lecturer of Urdu. Dr. Ali Ahmad Jalili started writing ghazals in the ancient classical style, but gradually his uniqueness came to the fore with the mutual influence of the traditions and requirements of classicism. Dr. Ali Ahmad Jalili was vouchsafed with poetic knowledge, wisdom, and thought. That is why he could express the pain and suffering of humanity with complete cognizance and control.

The circle of his students is also spread far and wide. Dr. Saleem Abidi, Jagjivan Lal, Asthana Sehar, Sadiq Faridi, Shakib Razmi, and Haleem Babar are the students of Ali Ahmad Jalili who are carrying forward his legacy of knowledge, teaching, and learning. On the one hand, Ali Ahmad Jalili has given a valuable treasure of poetry to Urdu, while on the other, his prose and artistic creations have also proved to be an addition to Urdu literature. His writings include, ‘Naqsh-e-Qadam’, Shahr-e-Tamanna’, ‘Andhere Ujale (Poetry collection)’, ‘Naye Ghazal Mein Manafi Ruj.haanat (Criticism)’, ‘Intikhab-e-Kalaam-e-Jalil’, ‘Kainat-e-Jalil’, ‘Lahu Ki Aanch (1969)’, ‘Zikr-e-Habib (Natia Collection 2000), and ‘Ghalib: Ek Mutala’.

Dr. Ali Ahmad Jalili was presented the Jamia Osmania Poet Award in 1940. Monthly: Nuquush’s Pakistan Ka Shayari Award in 1989. Gems of Hyderabad award for Poetry and Criticism in 1992, All India Urdu Education Committee Award in 1993, Indira Gandhi National Unity Award, Makhdum Award, and Karnama-e-Hayat Award by Urdu Academy, Telangana. He passed away on April 13, 2005, in Hyderabad.