Urdu Literature
Art & Culture › Language & Literature · Topic 9.20
Urdu literature is the writing in Urdu, an Indo-Aryan language of the Indo-European family that grew from Khari Boli with a large Persian and Arabic vocabulary during the Delhi Sultanate and Mughal periods, written in the Nastaliq script. Its early poetry was in the Deccan (Wali Deccani, Quli Qutb Shah), later flourishing in the Delhi and Lucknow schools of Mir, Sauda, Ghalib and Mir Anees. The 19th century brought Sir Syed, Hali and Nazir Ahmad's Mirat-ul-Uroos (1869), and the 20th century Iqbal, Faiz and the Progressive Writers. Urdu is in the Eighth Schedule but is not a classical language as of November 2026.
5 min read · UPSC Prelims · Art & Culture · Language & Literature
At a Glance
- Also called Rekhta, Hindustani, Dakhni (Deccan form), Urdu-e-Mualla
- Language family Indo-European, Indo-Aryan
- Script Nastaliq
- Classical status Not classical, as of November 2026
- Jnanpith winners Five
- Exam link UPSC Prelims, Art and Culture: Language & Literature
Where Does It Fit?
This topic follows Persian literature, from which Urdu took its script, forms and vocabulary. Urdu literature is the second last topic of the macro before foreign influences on Indian languages. Previous topic: Persian Literature. Next topic: Influence of Foreign Languages & Literature on Indian Languages.
Which Schools and Poets Define Urdu Poetry?
| School or form | Key poets and note |
|---|---|
| Early Urdu or Rekhta | Amir Islam Khan from 1608; Dacca made capital Mewar Settlement with…">Khusrau used Hindavi verses; the term Rekhta was used for early Urdu verse |
| Deccani school | Wali Deccani (Wali Aurangabadi), Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah (first Urdu poet with a complete diwan), Mulla Wajhi (Sab Ras, 1635) |
| Delhi school (18th century) | Mir Taqi Mir (Nikat-ush-Shuara), Mirza Sauda, Khwaja Mir Dard |
| Lucknow school | Insha Allah Khan Insha, Nasikh, Atish; Mir Anees and Dabeer for the marsiya |
| Late Mughal Delhi | Mirza Ghalib (1797 to 1869), Zauq, Momin Khan Momin |
| Nazm and public poetry | Nazir Akbarabadi, the people’s poet, wrote Aadmi Nama and Banjara Nama |
| Aligarh Movement | Sir Syed Ahmad Khan, Hali (Musaddas, 1879), Shibli Nomani, Nazir Ahmad |
| Iqbal | Sare Jahan Se Achha (1904), Shikwa, Jawab-e-Shikwa, Bang-e-Dara (1924) |
| Progressive Writers | Faiz Ahmad Faiz, Sahir Ludhianvi, Ali Sardar Jafri, Majaz, Kaifi Azmi |
What Are the Forms, Prose Writers and Awards?
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Ghazal | A lyric of rhymed couplets (sher) on love and mysticism |
| Nazm | Poem on one theme |
| Marsiya | Elegy on the martyrs of Karbala |
| Masnavi | Long narrative poem in rhyming couplets |
| Qasida | Praise poem |
| Rubai | Four line verse |
| Nazir Ahmad | Mirat-ul-Uroos (1869), regarded as the first Urdu novel |
| Premchand | Began in Urdu with Soz-e-Watan (1907), banned by the British |
| Short story writers | Saadat Hasan Manto (Toba Tek Singh), Ismat Chughtai (Lihaaf), Krishan Chander, Rajinder Singh Bedi |
| Qurratulain Hyder | Aag Ka Darya (1959); Jnanpith 1989 |
| Jnanpith winners | Firaq Gorakhpuri 1969, Qurratulain Hyder 1989, Ali Sardar Jafri 1997, Shaharyar 2008, Gulzar for 2023 (announced February 2024) |
What Else Should You Remember?
- Alternate names: Urdu was earlier called Hindavi, Dakhni, Rekhta and Hindustani, and its name comes from the Turkish word ordu, meaning camp
- Origin: Urdu developed around Delhi from Khari Boli mixed with Persian and Arabic words among soldiers, traders and Sufis
- Deccan: Urdu poetry first grew in the Deccan sultanates, including Golconda and Bijapur, before it flourished at Delhi
- Fort William College: Mir Amman wrote the prose Bagh-o-Bahar (1801), and John Gilchrist encouraged Urdu prose at Fort William College
- 1857: Delhi poets such as Ghalib and Zauq lived through the fall of the Mughal court, which shifted Urdu to new centres like Aligarh and Lucknow
- Aligarh Movement: Sir Syed Ahmad Khan promoted modern education and Urdu prose through the journal Tahzeeb-ul-Akhlaq from 1870
- Hali: Altaf Hussain Hali’s Muqaddama-e-Sher-o-Shayari (1893) is the first major work of Urdu literary criticism
- Progressive Writers’ Association: Founded in 1936, with Premchand presiding the Lucknow meeting, it pushed literature toward social reform
- Hindu writers of Urdu: Writers like Premchand, Firaq, Krishan Chander and Gulzar show that Urdu was never limited to one religion
- Official status: Urdu is in the Eighth Schedule, is a second official language of Telangana and other states, and an official language of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir
- Promotion: The National Council for Promotion of Urdu Language (NCPUL), set up in 1996 under the Ministry of Education, promotes the language
- World Urdu Day: 9 November, the birth date of Iqbal, is observed as World Urdu Day
- Mushaira: The mushaira, a gathering for poetry recital, is the main social form of Urdu poetry
- Related: Sufi and Persian roots are discussed in sufism-chishti-suhrawardi-silsilas/" class="maargx-auto-link" data-preview="At a Glance Nature Mystic tradition of Islam Chishti founder in India Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti, Ajmer Suhrawardi founder in India Bahauddin Zakariya,…">Sufism (Chishti, Suhrawardi Silsilas)
Why Does It Matter for the Exam?
- Schools: Deccani, Delhi, Lucknow
- Poets and works: Mir, Ghalib, Iqbal, Hali
- Forms: Ghazal, nazm, marsiya, masnavi
- Winners: Five Jnanpith awardees
- Common errors: treating Urdu as a Muslim language alone or giving Aag Ka Darya to Manto
As an analytical point, Urdu is a product of India’s composite culture, shaped by Persian, Sufi and local traditions. Its decline in schools and government use needs attention, since linguistic diversity is a cultural asset.
Why Is This Topic Important?
- Factual Poets and works
- Composite culture Urdu’s origin
- Policy NCPUL and schools
What Came Next?
The last topic of the macro looks at the influence of foreign languages and literature on Indian languages. Next topic: Influence of Foreign Languages & Literature on Indian Languages.
Key People and Terms
- Ghazal Lyric couplets
- Sher Couplet
- Marsiya Elegy
- Rekhta Early Urdu name
- Mushaira Poetry gathering
- Diwan Collected poems
Exam Corner
Points to Remember
- Delhi school: Mir, Sauda, Dard.
- First Urdu novel: Mirat-ul-Uroos, 1869.
- Sare Jahan Se Achha: Iqbal.
- PWA founded: 1936.
- Jnanpith: five.
Do Not Confuse With
- Urdu and Hindi Same spoken base, different script and vocabulary
- Mir and Ghalib 18th versus 19th century masters
- Ghazal and nazm Couplet lyric versus single theme poem
Memory Hook
Deccan starts, Delhi sings, Lucknow polishes, Iqbal awakens.
Mains Angle
Questions link Urdu with composite culture and language policy. These points give a frame.
- Composite culture Hindu-Muslim contributions
- Education Aligarh and Urdu schools
- Policy Promotion and recognition
A Question You May Face
An original practice question, not a past paper question.
“Urdu is a symbol of India’s composite culture. Discuss with reference to its literature.”
How to Answer
- Origin Khari Boli and Persian.
- Writers All communities.
- Challenges Politicisation, decline.
- Way Education support.
GS Relevance
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Urdu literature?
Urdu literature is the writing in Urdu, which grew from Khari Boli with Persian and Arabic words and uses the Nastaliq script. It includes ghazals of Mir and Ghalib, the poetry of Iqbal and Faiz, the marsiyas of Mir Anees, and modern fiction by Manto and Qurratulain Hyder.
Who is regarded as the greatest Urdu poet?
Mirza Ghalib (1797 to 1869) and Mir Taqi Mir are the two most honoured Urdu poets. Mir is called Khuda-e-Sukhan, the god of poetry, for his 18th century ghazals, while Ghalib is admired for his philosophical depth and his letters, which created modern Urdu prose style.
Which language family does Urdu belong to?
Urdu belongs to the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European language family. It shares its grammar with Hindi, since both grew from Khari Boli, but uses the Nastaliq script and takes more vocabulary from Persian and Arabic. It is spoken widely in India and Pakistan.
What is the classical language status of Urdu?
Urdu does not have classical language status as of November 2026. The eleven classical languages are Tamil, Sanskrit, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Odia, Marathi, Pali, Prakrit, Assamese and Bengali. Urdu is, however, a scheduled language in the Eighth Schedule and has official status in several states.
Why is Urdu literature important for UPSC?
Prelims asks about the Deccani, Delhi and Lucknow schools, works such as Mirat-ul-Uroos, poets like Iqbal and Faiz, and the Progressive Writers' Association. Mains uses Urdu for composite culture, the Aligarh Movement, language policy and the role of literature in Partition and nationalism.
PYQ Practice — Statement Analysis
1 Mirat-ul-Uroos by Nazir Ahmad is regarded as the first Urdu novel.
Published in 1869.
2 Sare Jahan Se Achha was written by Faiz Ahmad Faiz.
It was written by Iqbal.
3 The Progressive Writers' Association was founded in 1936.
Premchand presided over the first meeting.
4 Urdu is a classical language of India.
It is not in the list.
Related Topics
Browse the full Art & Culture index