New Delhi [India], Jan 14 : Google on Tuesday paid a tribute to renowned poet Kaifi Azmi on his 101st birth anniversary with a doodle.
With his work spanning varied genres and mediums -- as a poet, songwriter and activist -- Azmi is one of the most celebrated names of the 20th century. The doodle features him donning a white kurta, reciting poetry.
Born on 14 January 1919 in Uttar Pradesh, Azmi named Sayyid Athar Hussein Rizvi wrote his first poem at the age of 11. He was much inspired by Mahatma Gandhi's Quit India movement of 1942. Azmi later moved to Mumbai to write for an Urdu newspaper.
In 1943, he published his first collection of poems 'Jhankar' after which he joined the Progressive Writers' Association which aimed at achieving socio-economic reforms.
Kaifi Azmi utilised his writing skills to speak about woman equality, which is evident in one of his early and most famous poems 'Aurat'. Amongst his other efforts towards women empowerment is an NGO which he founded with an aim to improve the lives of rural women and their families.
In films, Azmi has worked as a lyricist, writer, and actor. 'Buzdil' marks his debut in the film industry as a lyricist, the movie directed by Shaheed Latif was released in 1951.
Kaifi Azmi has been honoured with the prestigious Padma Shri for Literature and Education and is also the recipient of the Sahitya Akademi Fellowship.