1789 (Delhi) – 1854 (Delhi) • Khaqani-e-Hind
"Born to a poor soldier, Shaikh Ibrahim Zauq rose through the ranks purely on the basis of his sheer linguistic brilliance to become the poet laureate of the Mughal Court. He was famously appointed as the personal poetry tutor (Ustaad) to the last Mughal Emperor, Bahadur Shah Zafar. Known for his flawless grammar, immense vocabulary, and unmatched mastery over Urdu idioms, Zauq represented the absolute pinnacle of classical poetic craftsmanship. His life is also heavily defined by his fierce, lifelong, and highly entertaining literary rivalry with Mirza Ghalib, which divided the literary circles of Delhi."