Naresh Kumar Shad; Renowned Urdu Poet

Naresh Kumar Shad (1927-1969), (Urdu: نریش کمار شاد) was a renowned Urdu Ghazal and writer of Qat'aa and Rubai. He was born in the industrial city of Kanpur, in Uttar Pradesh where he had for sometime worked as a co-editor of Chandan along with Sahir Hoshiarpuri. He was fluent in the use of Urdu and Persian. Like Majaz, Saadat Hasan Manto and Salaam Machhalishahari he too was addicted to excessive alcohol intake because of which weakness he could not hold on to any job for long, did not live long and died of liver- cirrhosis. His father, Noharia Ram Dard, who was also an Urdu poet of note, was also an alcoholic who is believed to have committed suicide.

Naresh Kumar Shad wrote ghazals which had become very popular even when he was alive but his forte was Qat'aa and Rubai. His two collections of poetry, Qashen and Kalaam e Muntakhab were published during his life time. After his demise Naresh Kumar Shad Memorial Committee in the year 1970 published Shad Namah that contained his poems and articles appraising his literary output. Later on, Shad ki Shayari Shad aur Akhtar ki shayari and Adabi latife came to light.