Nazir Akbarabadi

Nazir Akbarabadi (born Wali Muhammad, 1735–1830) was an Urdu poet from Agra, then called Akbarabad, which gave him his name. Writing under the pen name Nazir, he is often called the father of the Urdu nazm.

Unlike most poets of his time, who wrote for courts and gatherings of the learned, Nazir wrote about the life of ordinary people: bazaars, fairs, seasons, festivals, poverty, old age, birds, kites and the passing of everything. His language is the everyday speech of the streets of Agra, and his poems were sung and recited by common people long before critics took them seriously.

His best-known poems include Banjaranama, Aadmi Nama and Kalyug. He also wrote ghazals in a light, playful style.