Abr Ahsani Gunauari is one of the prominent poets who followed the classical norms of poetry writing. He was born in 1898 at Gunaur in the state of Uttar Pradesh. He lost his father at an early age in his life. After receiving his basic education, he started working at an early age in order to share familial responsibility. While working in a shoe factory at Kanpur, he happened to come into contact with Munshi Shakhawat Hussain Shahjehanpuri. He developed a close association with him which helped him immensely towards refining his own poetry.
Following several attempted at doing odd jobs and carrying out small businesses, Abr came back to start his education afresh. After acquiring his higher degrees in Arabic and Persian, he got a job in the District Board and kept teaching at different madrasas in Badayun district until 1947. After the Partition of India in 1947, he shifted to Rampur where he joined Madrasa Alia Oriental College as a teacher. After his retirement in 1953, he returned to his native place Gunaur. Here, he spent a very active literary life and became a mentor to many poets which bear ample testimony to his critical acumen as a poet-craftsman.
Abr was murdered on the night of November 07, 1973. His killer could not be traced nor could the reason of his killing be known ever.