Prem Dhawan was born on June 13, 1923, in Ambala, Haryana. He studied in Lahore, where he became involved with the Communist Party of India. He began his career in 1946 in Lahore as an assistant to composer Khwaja Khurshid Anwar. Later, he moved to Mumbai and joined the Indian People's Theatre Association, learning classical music under Ravi Shankar. Dhawan debuted as a lyricist with the film "Dharti Ke Lal" (1946) and wrote lyrics for several films, including "Shaheed," "Purab Aur Pachhim," and "Kabuliwala." He also composed music for films like "Shaheed," which featured hits like "Ae Watan Ae Watan" and "Mera Rang De Basanti Chola." Besides being a lyricist and composer, he acted in two films and worked as a choreographer. In 1970, he was awarded the Padma Shri, and in 1971, he won the National Film Award for Best Lyrics for "Nanak Dukhiya Sub Sansar." Dhawan's career waned in the 1980s, and he passed away on May 7, 2001, at 77.