UPSC CSE Prelims 1999
Amir Khusrau (1253–1325 CE) is widely recognized as the first writer to extensively use a proto-Urdu form, often referred to as Hindavi or Rekhta, for poetic expression. A prominent Sufi poet, historian, and musician in the Delhi Sultanate, he blended Persian literary traditions with local vernaculars. His experimentation with a composite language, incorporating elements of Persian, Arabic, Turkish, and local Indian dialects, laid the foundational groundwork for the evolution of Urdu as a distinct literary language.
Mirza Ghalib (1797–1869): He was a prominent poet who significantly refined and enriched Urdu poetry during the later Mughal period, but he did not originate its use as a medium of poetic expression.
Bahadur Shah Zafar (1775–1862): The last Mughal emperor, he was known for his Urdu ghazals. However, his contributions occurred much after the initial development and use of Urdu for poetic expression.
Faiz Ahmed Faiz (1911–1984): A distinguished 20th-century Urdu poet, his work belongs to a much later phase of Urdu literature and is far removed from its origins.