1896 (Gorakhpur) – 1982 (New Delhi) • The Critic Poet
"A literary giant and an English literature professor at Allahabad University, Firaq Gorakhpuri uniquely infused the traditional Urdu ghazal with the aesthetics and sensibilities of English Romanticism, akin to Keats and Wordsworth. Known for his towering intellect, a famously sharp tongue, and an immense ego, his poetry beautifully explores complex themes of earthly sensuality, midnight melancholy, and profound natural aesthetics. He remains one of the most critically acclaimed and intellectually rigorous poets of the 20th century."