Veteran Urdu Poet Bashir Badr Dies At 91 After Dementia Battle In Bhopal

Renowned Urdu poet Bashir Badr died today (May 28) at around 12:30 PM. He had been suffering from dementia.

His son, Taiyab Badr, confirmed the news of his death to NDTV and said, "Over the last three to four days, Bashir had been growing increasingly weak. He breathed his last in Bhopal. His burial will take place today at Bada Bagh Qabristan in Bhopal after the Maghrib namaz."

Javed Akhtar mourned the loss of the veteran poet. He wrote on X (formerly Twitter), "Today, our language Urdu has become a little poorer. Bashir Badr, an extremely melodious poet, has departed from our gathering forever. This poet and his poetry will live on in our memories forever."

آج ہماری زبان اردو تھوڑی اور غریب ہو گئی ۔ بشیر بدر ایک انتہائی خوشگو شاعر ہمیشہُ کے لیے محفلُ سے اٹھ گیا ۔ یہُ شاعر اور اس کی شاعری ہماری یادوں میںُ ہمیشہُ زندہُ رہیںُ گے

— Javed Akhtar (@Javedakhtarjadu) May 28, 2026

Background

Born on February 15, 1935, in Ayodhya, Bashir Badr completed his B.A., M.A., and Ph.D. from Aligarh Muslim University. He started his teaching career at the university and later served as Lecturer and Head of the Urdu Department at Meerut College for nearly 17 years.

Bashir Badr began writing poetry at the age of seven and went on to become one of the most recognised names in Urdu Ghazal. Known for his simple yet emotionally powerful writing style, he made Urdu poetry accessible to a wider audience. He was fluent in Urdu, Persian, Hindi, and English.

Over the years, he wrote several poetry collections, including Ikai, Image, Aamad, Aahat, Aas, and Kulliyate Bashir Badr. He also wrote literary criticism books such as Azadi Ke Bad Urdu Ghazals Ka Tanqidi Mutala and Biswin Sadi Mein Ghazal, which are considered important works in Urdu literature.

His Ghazals were published in Devanagari and Gujarati scripts as well, helping his poetry reach readers beyond Urdu-speaking communities. Many of his works were also translated into English and French.

During his career, Bashir Badr received several honours, including the Padma Shri. He was honoured multiple times by the Uttar Pradesh Urdu Academy and also received recognition from the Bihar Urdu Academy. Internationally, he received the Meer Academy Award and was named “Poet of the Year 1980” in New York.

His poetry collection Aas, which includes 69 Ghazals, is considered one of the most important works in modern Urdu poetry. Another major collection, Kulliyate Bashir Badr, published in Pakistan, was widely appreciated across South Asia.

One of his most famous couplets is still remembered by poetry lovers:

“Shohrat ki bulandi bhi ek pal ka tamasha hai,
Jis shakh pe baithe ho woh tut bhi sakti hai.”

Bashir Badr's poetry often explored themes of love, loneliness, pain, and life's complexities. His simple language and emotional depth made his work relatable to readers from all walks of life.

Despite his literary success, his life was marked by hardship. A major fire once destroyed all his belongings and literary works. After the incident, he moved to Bhopal and rebuilt his life and career. The tragedy deeply influenced his poetry and added emotional depth to his writing.

He also travelled widely to countries including the United States, Dubai, Qatar, and Pakistan to participate in Mushairas and literary events.