Wafa Malikpuri is known better as a marsiya poet. He found space in his marsiyas for traditional as well as newer issues which in itself is a matter of distinction. He was born Syed Abbas Ali Rizvi in August 1923 in a place called Malikpur in Drabhanga district of Bihar state. He acquired the degree of Fazil and started writing poetry in 1935.

In the true spirit of a classicist, Wafa practised all poetical forms with ease. Apart from marsiya, he also wrote qasida, musaddas, rubai, qita, salam, nauha, nazm, and ghazal. Senior poet Jamil Mazhari was a virtual mentor to Wafa whom he respected for nurturing him as a poet.

Wafa Malikpuri was also deeply committed to journalism. He worked in this field for over two decades. He edited a journal called Subh-e-Nau for a long time from Patna which earned a reputation for itself and offered respectable space to young writers as well.  He passed away on June 01, 2003 in Purnea, a town in Bihar.