Lalotte. Painting by Amedo Modigalini

The great Urdu poet ‘Faiz’ ws born at Sialkot (Pakistan). He had his early education at Lahore. During 1942-47, he was in the information department of the Government of India. He was also a colonel in the Indian army. Married to a Russian lady, Faiz lived up to the age of 73.

The poems of Faiz are valuable nuggets of Urdu literature. He was a poet of progressive ideas and always attacked the reactionaries wherever they may be. He was a fearless writer and suffered a lot because of hi liberal ideas. Though Faiz lived in Pakistan, his spirit was in India. He struggled against colonialism and wished well for the third world. The Zia administration in Pakistan troubled him a lot because of his leaning towards leftis thought. He was also associated with Yasser Arafat of the Palestine Liberation Organisation. Faiz had a soft corner in his heart for India and the Soviet Union. For some time, he was editor of the Pakistan Times and has written a lot of popular poems. The Soviet Union awarded him with Lenin Peace Prize. His poetry advocates amity and peace in the world.

Amongst his most discussed and admired poems are: Yeh galion ke awara kutte, Darbare watan mein jab ek din, Hum mehnatkash is duniya se jab apna hissa managenge, Mujh se meri pahli si mohabbat na maang mere mehoob and kyon mere dil shaad nahin. These and many other poems by Faiz are valuable assets of progressive literature. Faiz has expressed the agony, sense of beauty and anger of the working people with rare sensitivity. His poems deeply affect the mind and heart of the readers.