Remembering poet & lyricist Makhdoom Mohiuddin 1908-69

Makhdoom Mohiuddin, or Abu Sayeed Mohammad Makhdoom Mohiuddin Khudri, (4 February 1908 – 25 August 1969) was an Urdu poet and Marxist political activist of India.

His ghazals and lyrics have been used in many Hindi films. Among his notable are the romantic ghazals:Ek Chameli Ke Mandve Taley, Aap Ki Yaad Aati Rahi Raat Bhar and Phir Chhidi Raat, Baat Phoolon Ki.

He was a revolutionary Urdu poet. He founded the Progressive Writers Union in Hyderabad and was active with the Comrades Association and the Communist Party of India, and at the forefront of the 1946–1947 Telangana Rebellion against the Nizam of the erstwhile Hyderabad state.

Early life
Mohiuddin was born in the village of Andole in Medak district, Hyderabad State.

He received his schooling and religious education in his village and later on moved to Hyderabad city to pursue his higher education, where he received a Bachelors and followed by a master's degree. He settled down in Hyderabad after completing his higher education and committed himself to the fight for a Free India against British-occupation. He earned a master's degree in 1936 from Osmania University.

Career
Makhdoom started working as a lecturer at the City College in 1934 and taught Urdu literature. He became an Urdu language poet of incredible versatility. He was the founder of the Communist Party in Andhra Pradesh. Therefore, he is regarded as a Freedom Fighter of India. He also rallied against the then-monarchy of the Princely State of Hyderabad to merge with the newly liberated Indian Union. The then-ruler of Hyderbad, Mir Osman Ali Khan, had issued orders to kill him for awakening people for freedom and the abolition of Nawab ("princely") rule.

He is best known for his collection of poems entitled Bisat-e-Raqs ("The Dance Floor"), for which he was awarded the 1969 Sahitya Akademi Award in Urdu. His published works include the essay Tagore and His Poetry, a play, Hosh ke Nakhun ("Unravelling"), an adaptation of Shaw's Widowers' Houses, and a collection of prose essays. Bisat-e-Raqs is a complete collection of Makhdoom's verse including his two earlier collections Surkh Savera ("The Red Dawn", 1944) and Gul-e-Tar ("The Dewdrenched Rose", 1961)

He is known as Shayar-e-Inquilab' ('Poet of the Revolution'). His ghazals and lyrics have been used in many Hindi films. Among his notable are the romantic ghazals:Ek Chameli Ke Mandve Taley, Aap Ki Yaad Aati Rahi Raat Bhar and Phir Chhidi Raat, Baat Phoolon Ki.

He was also a member of Andhra Pradesh Legislative Council from1956 - 1969 and became opposition leader in Assembly. The most popular political leader across India. He had travelled almost all European countries that exist under the umbrella of Russia and also visited China. He also met Yuri Gagarin when he visited Moscow and wrote a poem on him.

Commemoration
On 4 and 5 February 2008, a slew of programmes were organised in Hyderabad to mark his birth centenary celebrations in which writers like Vice-Chancellor of Mahatma Gandhi Antarrashtriya Hindi Vishwavidyalaya Vibhuti Narain Rai, scientists like P. M. Bhargava and Vice-Chancellor of University of Hyderabad Syed E. Hasnain participated.

Bibliography
His collection of poems and ghazals is titled Besat E Raqs.

Awards
Sahitya Akademi Award for Urdu Poetry – 1969