JM
Poet

Josh Malihabadi

Born 5 December 1898 · Uttar Pradesh — Died 22 February 1982

Authored revolutionary Urdu poetry that inspired anti-colonial movements in British India.

Josh Malihabadi popularly known as Shayar-e-Inqalab was a Pakistani Urdu poet.

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A detail that
surprised us

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Josh Malihabadi wrote over 100,000 couplets and more than 1,000 rubaiyat, an extraordinary volume unmatched by most poets of his era.

The Story

1
In 1918, Josh Malihabadi spent six months at Rabindranath Tagore's university in Shantiniketan, a brief period that shaped his early poetic voice amid India's shifting cultural tides.
2
🌟 In 1925, while supervising translation work at Osmania University, Hyderabad, Josh was exiled for his bold nazm against the Nizam, marking his fierce resistance to princely autocracy.
3By 1930s, his poem 'Hussain aur Inquilab' earned Josh the title Shayar-e-Inqilab, intertwining religious symbolism with revolutionary zeal during the Indian freedom struggle.
4✍️ Josh founded the Urdu magazine Kaleem, using it as a platform to spark intellectual rebellion against British colonial rule, rallying progressive writers in the 1930s.

🏅 Awards & Honours

—
Padma Bhushan

🔍 One thing most people don't know

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In 1914, Josh passed the Senior Cambridge examination at St Peter's College, Agra, blending Western education with his deep roots in Arabic, Persian, and Urdu languages.

📸 Through the Years

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🗓️ A Life in Moments

🕊️
Birth
Birth in Malihabad, Uttar Pradesh
Born Shabbir Hasan Khan to an Urdu-speaking Muslim family of Afridi Pashtun origin near Lucknow.
1898
📚
Education
Passed Senior Cambridge Exam
Completed Senior Cambridge examination at St Peter's College, Agra, blending classical and Western education.
1914
📚
Education
Studied at Shantiniketan
Spent six months at Rabindranath Tagore's university, influencing his literary and cultural outlook.
1918
⚡
Career
Exiled from Hyderabad
Banished from Osmania University after writing a nazm against the Nizam of Hyderabad.
1925
⚡
Career
Poem 'Hussain aur Inquilab'
Earned title Shayar-e-Inqilab for his revolutionary poem blending religious symbolism and nationalism.
1930
🌟
Other
Migration to Pakistan
Moved to Karachi despite Nehru's objections, concerned about Urdu's future in India.
1956
🕊️
Death
Death in Karachi
Passed away after a lifetime of poetic and intellectual activism impacting both India and Pakistan.
1982
More moments to come...
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🗝️Discoveries

Swipe to uncover hidden stories
01 / 06
🌍HISTORICAL IMPACT

In 1934, Josh was banned from Hyderabad State after publishing a poem disrespecting the Nizam, highlighting the risks he took against authoritarian rulers.

02 / 06
👤PERSONAL

Josh's autobiography 'Yaadon ki Barat' was so frank and candid that it upset conservative readers, contributing to his sidelining in literary circles despite critical acclaim.

03 / 06
🌍HISTORICAL IMPACT

He was a close associate of Jawaharlal Nehru, who often attended Josh's poetry recitals at the United Coffee House mushairas in pre-Independence India.

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"Josh Malihabadi was popularly known as Shayar-e-Inqalab (poet of revolution)."

— Josh Malihabadi

🎙️ Speeches & Recordings

These recordings preserve the legacy of Bharat's icons
Who Was Josh Malihabadi | BSTV
More from this archive
Who Was Josh Malihabadi | BSTV
01
Who Was Josh Malihabadi | BSTV
Josh Malihabadi - Marsiye Ki Tareekh - Part - 01
02
Josh Malihabadi - Marsiye Ki Tareekh - Part - 01

🌱 What changed because of them

Josh Malihabadi's revolutionary poetry energized the Progressive Writers Association, inspiring a generation of Urdu writers to challenge colonialism and social injustice. His editorial work in publications like Kaleem and Aaj-Kal provided crucial platforms for anti-colonial and progressive thought. His migration to Pakistan and role in Anjuman-i-Tarraqi-i-Urdu helped sustain Urdu literature during a turbulent post-Partition era.

💬 Social Buzz

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