Amrita Pritam
A renowned poet, short story writer, novelist, and prose writer. She was honored with the Padma Vibhushan and the Jnanpith Award. The celebrated poem “Ajj Aakhaan Waris Shah Nu”
1919-2005
A renowned poet, short story writer, novelist, and prose writer. She was honored with the Padma Vibhushan and the Jnanpith Award. The celebrated poem “Ajj Aakhaan Waris Shah Nu”
1919-2005
A famous medieval poet. Six hymns of his composition, “Ramkali Sad,” are included in the Guru Granth Sahib. He was the great-grandson of Guru Amar Das Ji.
1560-1603
"A revolutionary and philosophical poet, a strong and distinct voice of progressive poetry. In addition to poetry, he also wrote prose."
1915-1972
1480-1574
1416-1500
A prominent medieval Punjabi poet, saint, and devotee. He was among the pioneers of the Bhakti movement that emerged in India. As a liberal-minded saint, he always kept his doors open to new ideas and progressive thought. One of his hymns, composed by him, is included in the Guru Granth Sahib under Raag Basant.
1201-1245
A famous medieval poet, devotee, and reformer. His hymns are included in the Guru Granth Sahib under 16 ragas.
1440-1518
A renowned medieval Bhagat poet. The Guru Granth Sahib contains 61 hymns composed by him in 18 ragas.
1271-1341
1483-1593
1426-1475
A prominent medieval Punjabi poet, saint, and devotee. He was among the pioneers of the Bhakti movement that emerged in India. As a liberal-minded saint, he always kept his doors open to new ideas and progressive thought. One of his hymns, composed by him, is included in the Guru Granth Sahib under Raag Basant.
1366-1467
A medieval poet, saint, devotee, and reformer. Bhagat Ravidas was born in Banaras. His writings reflect a deep sense of humanity and divine love. Forty hymns composed by him are included in the Guru Granth Sahib, set in sixteen different musical modes (Raags).
1376-1520
A renowned medieval Punjabi poet and Bhagat. He is believed to have been born in the 14th or 15th century. He worked as a barber in the king’s court. One of his hymns is included in the Guru Granth Sahib, composed in Raag Dhanasari.
1390-1440
1529-1632
A renowned medieval Punjabi poet and saint. His birthplace is believed to be Barsi, a town in the Solapur district of Maharashtra. Four of his hymns are included in the Guru Granth Sahib.
1268-1335
A famous medieval poet and scholar of Gurmat literature. He composed kabitts, savaiyye, and vaars. He also had the honor of writing the Guru Granth Sahib.
1551-1637
A renowned Sufi poet and mystic, one of whose notable works is a masnavi. The shrine of Bu Ali Shah Qalandar is located in Panipat.
1209-1324
A foremost Punjabi poet. In Chatrik’s poetry, metrical craftsmanship, mastery of language, rustic authenticity, and the beauty of idiom are unparalleled. A famous composition is “Marda Damame Jatt Mele Aa Gaya.”
1876-1954
A renowned poet, thinker, translator, and editor. A Sahitya Akademi Award-winning poet. Famous ghazal: “Har Mod Te Saliban”
1935-2010
A renowned poet of modern ghazal, who gave a new direction to Punjabi ghazal. He worked as a watchmaker in the city of Nabha.
A famous medieval poet, the fourth Guru of the Sikhs, and a reformer. His hymns are included in the Guru Granth Sahib under 17 ragas.
1479-1552
A renowned medieval poet, the second Guru of the Sikhs, and a reformer. The 63 saloks composed by him are included in the Guru Granth Sahib.
1504-1552
A famous medieval poet, the fifth Guru of the Sikhs, a reformer, and the compiler of the Guru Granth Sahib. His hymns are recorded in 30 ragas. “Sukhmani” is his masterpiece.
1563-1606
A renowned medieval poet and the tenth Guru of Sikhism, who founded the Khalsa Panth in 1699 CE. His sacred writings are recorded in the Dasam Granth.
1666-1708
A famous medieval poet, the fourth Guru of the Sikhs, and a reformer. The hymns composed by him are included in the Guru Granth Sahib under 30 ragas.
1534-1574
A famous medieval poet, the ninth Guru of the Sikhs, and a reformer. His hymns are recorded in 15 ragas in the Guru Granth Sahib. He attained martyrdom in 1675 CE.
1621-1675
A renowned poet, scholar, critic, and translator. A Sahitya Akademi Award-winning writer for the book “Na Dhuppe Na Chhaven.”
1920-2002
A renowned medieval Sufi Qissakar (narrative poet), celebrated for his Qissa (romantic epic) Sassi Punnu and his acclaimed dohras (couplets).
1735-1821
An important voice of contemporary ghazal, who gave Punjabi ghazal a new direction. Received the Sahitya Akademi Award for the book Agarbatti.
A representative voice of ghazal, a poet who achieved a distinct place in literature with a single collection, "Jungle Vich Shaam." Remarkably, this book was published several years after his death.
1932-1995
An important short story writer of the Punjabi literary world. Recipient of the Sahitya Akademi Award for the book “Nave Lok.”
1921-1987
A renowned revolutionary poet. Dil’s poetry is the sharp, struggling voice of the Dalit consciousness raised for justice.
1943-2007
A renowned Punjabi Sufi Qissakar (narrative poet), Mian Muhammad Bakhsh is regarded as the author of the greatest Qissa in Punjabi literature, Saiful Malook. This Qissa is also considered a profound treasury of mystical insight (ma‘rifat).
1830-1907
A renowned immigrant poet. The large-scale book “Leela,” co-written with Ajmer Rode, is considered one of the important books of poetry.
A strong and popular voice of resistance poetry. Assassinated in 1988 by extremists. Famous poem: “Sab Ton Khatarnak”
1950-1988
A Famous poet, editor, and translator, honored with the Sahitya Akademi Award. Professor Mohan Singh is also regarded as an epoch-making poet of Punjabi literature.
1905-1978
A distinctive poet, thinker, prose writer, translator, and a scientist in the field of chemical engineering.
1881-1931
A poet who expressed, in a subdued tone, the inner conflict smouldering within the human mind. He was honoured with the Sahitya Akademi Award. He died by suicide in 1986. Famous poem: “Cheek Bulbuli.”
1933-1986
A distinguished lyricist and singer who laid the foundation of literary and serious songwriting in the field of Punjabi music.
1894-1946
A poet who gave a voice full of anger and resistance to humble and powerless people, and through his revolutionary songs raised a strong flag against the exploitation of workers and farmers.
1939-1986
Famous medieval Sufi poet and mystic. Syed Miran Shah belonged to Jalandhar. He composed kafis, ghazals, baits, and deodh.
1839-1925
A renowned poet contemporary to Maharaja Ranjit Singh. Shah Muhammad’s “Jangnama Singhan te Firangian” is a highly popular and widely read work among the Punjabi people.
1782-1862
A celebrated medieval Punjabi Sufi poet and mystic. In his youth, he developed a devotion to asceticism and, upon traveling to Lahore, received spiritual initiation from Muhammad Fazil Qadir, where he eventually attained union with the Divine.
1639-1724
A famous poet who ruled the Punjabi literary world with his lyrical poetry. Recipient of the Sahitya Akademi Award for the book Loona.
1936-1973
A renowned poet, writer, and translator. A respected poet who holds a distinctive voice in the field of modern poetry. Honored with the Sahitya Akademi Award and the Padma Shri.
1945-2024
A leading poet of stage poetry, who was also honored as the “Nightingale of Punjab” and the “Poet of the People.” His famous works include “Sohna Des Punjab” and “Main Punjabi.”
1898-1955