Akhlaq Mohammad Khan Shahryar; educationist; Born: 16 Jun. 1936, at Aanola, Bareilly (UP);   Education: M.A, PhD (Urdu); edited Hamari Zuban(1961-1966), Editor-Aligarh Magazine (1961),printer, publisher and editor-Ghalib (1960), Chopal (1956),Editor-Fikro Nazar(1988-96),columnist Khair-o-Khabar,

Noted Urdu poet 'Shahryar', one of the foremost writers of the ghazal and nazm genres, has been honoured with a  lifetime achievement award here by a group of alumni of his University.   Akhlaq Mohammad Khan, who writes with the pen name  'Shahryar' has been awarded the 'Noor-e-Watan' (light of the Nation) award for his outstanding contribution to poetry and literature by the Aligarh Muslim University Alumni Association (UK).   One of the most loved writers of Urdu poetry in India,  Shahryar's songs in films such as 'Fasle', 'Anjuman', and 'Gaman' are remembered by many, so are the heart-wrenching lyrics of Muzaffar Ali's classic film 'Umrao Jaan'. "Shahryar's achievement is a matter of pride for Urdu lovers all over the world. His modernist poetry focuses on individual and his place in the current social settings around him He is an  inspirational poet who has friends in all generations," Shahryar, 75, was awarded India's highest literary honour, the 44th Jnanpith award,  Shahryar, who was born in Bareilly district of Uttar Pradesh, studied at the Aligarh Muslim University.     He started his career as a journalist in Anjuman Taraqqi Urdu and was later appointed as Lecturer in the Department of Urdu at Aligarh, where he retired as a Professor and Chairman in 1996. He was awarded Sahitya Academy Award in 1987.   His major published works in Urdu, Hindi and English include 'Satwan Dar', 'Hijr Ke Mausam', 'Khwab Ka Dar Band Hai', 'Mere Hisse ki Zamin', 'Kahin Kuchh Kam Hai', 'The Gateway to Dreams is Closed' and 'Selected Poetry of Shahryar'.
 He started his career as a literary assistant at Anjuman Tarraqqi-e-Urdu, there after he joined AMU as a lecturer in Urdu, he was appointed professor in 1986, and in 1996, he retired as chairman of the Urdu Department at the AMU, where he now lives and devotes his time entirely to poetry, and also co-edits the literary magazine "Sher-o-Hikmat" (Poetry and Philosophy),.

Works

His first poetry collection Ism-e-azam was published in 1965, the second collection, Satvan dar (Satva yet in English), came in 1969, the third collection titled Hijr ke mausam was released in 1978, his most celebrated work, Khwab Ke dar band hain, came in 1987, and also won him theSahitya Akademi Award in Urdu for the year. He has also published five collections of his poetry in devnagari script^.

o    Ism-e-azam, 1965.

o    Satvan dar, 1969.

o    Hijr ke mausam, 1978.

o    Khwab Ke dar band Hain, 1987.

o    Neend ki Kirchen – (English: Neend That Churches) .

o    Through the Closed Doorway: A Collection of Nazms by Shahryar, tr. Rakhshanda Jalil. 2004, Rupa & Co., 

o    Shahryar, Akhlaq Mohmmad Khan : Influence of the western criticism on the Urdu criticism, Aligarh.

o    Dhud ki Roshni (English: Dhud of Roshni): Selected Poems of Shahryar, 2003,  

Address: (R) Kabir Colony, Anoopshahr Road, Aligarh,