Naiyer Masood was born in Lucknow in 1936. He is one of the foremost Indian writers. Naiyer Masood, is known for his masterful portrayal of the Lucknow of yore. A flag-bearer of post-modernist tradition in Urdu, his short-stories reflect the decline of Lucknow, once the epitome of culture and civility in India. But the stories no way lament the loss of an era. Rather they deal about the ordinary human beings, and the celebration of their courage in the face of adversities. In his stories, Masood demolishes the perception that Lucknow's society was decadent. His story 'The Myna from the Peacock Garden' [Taoos Chaman ki Mynah] is a classic. He has written 21 books.