Hindi Poetry: 15 Famous Hindi Poets Of All Time

Hindi as the mother tongue of wide Indians. It is as diverse and rich in culture as India. Hindi poetry has been the primary mode of expression for several brilliant poets. Not only have these poets achieved heights of success and fame, but also immortalized themselves by way of their work. Today, we’re looking at the 15 famous Hindi poets of all time.

Harivansh Rai Bachchan

Father to Amitabh Bachchan, Harivansh Rai is a prolific poet. His work, Madhushala, which translates to bar or pub, is his most famous work, as well as a Hindi classic.

Gulzar

Perhaps the most well known of contemporary Hindi poets, Gulzar writes shayaris that speak to the heart. Not only has he penned several Bollywood song lyrics, but also his collections like Chaand Pukhraj Ka and Raat Pashmine Ki.

Tulsidas

Credited with the penning of Indian epic Ramayan in the Awadhi dialect of Hindi, in Ramcharitmanas, Tulsidas is perhaps the first Hindi poet. He also wrote Krishnavali and Gitavali.

Kabir

Kabir needs no introduction – almost all schools and curriculums teach his dohas, shlokas, saksis. These are full of philosophy and enlightening learnings, with literary brilliance as well.

Makhanlal Chaturvedi

Recipient of the prestigious Sahitya Akademi award for his poetry Him Tarangini, Chaturvedi’s other notable works include Samarpan, Yug Charan and Sahitya Devta.

Maithili Sharan Gupt

Gupt was not only a brilliant wordsmith but also a great linguist, for he added the Khari Boli dialect to Hindi. His works, such as Saket and Rang Mein Bhang are extremely popular.

Mahadevi Varma

A leading definer of the Chhayavaad movement in Hindi poetry, Varma is a stalwart woman poet of Hindi language. Neerja, Nihar and Rashmi Geet are only some of her best works.

Sumitranandan Pant

Made wonderful under the mentorship of Aurobindo Ghosh, and a lover of nature, this mystical poet has enchanted several Hindi readers. Pallav, Veena, Granthi and Gunjan are his famous works, and he won the Padma Bhushan and Jnyanpith awards for his work Chidambara. He is also the recipient of the Sahitya Akademi award.

Ramdhari Singh

Bearer of the title Rajyakavi, Singh primarily wrote patriotic verses in the pre independence era. Rahmi-Rathi, Parshuram Ki Pratiksha and other notable works of his brim with the veer rasa traditionally associated with bravery..

Jaishankar Prasad

Prasad wrote not just usual poetry but also epic poetry – mahakavya – Kamayani. Not only did he write about philosophy (due to the influence of Vedas) but also in a wide variety of genres from patriotic to love.

Suryakant Tripathi

A pioneer in the Chhayavaad movement, Tripathi wrote Saroj Shakti, Kukurmutta, Ram Ki Shakti Puja, Anamika and Parimal. He learnt in the Bengali medium and was inspired by the poetry of Tagore, bjut eventually carved a name for himself in the field of Hindi poetry.

Amrita Pritam

A staunch feminist who wrote widely on politics, partition, love and nation, Pritam is widely celebrated on both sides of the border. Kasturi and Ek Baat are some of her best anthologies.

Amir Khusro

An Indo-Persian poet, Khusrow wrote surprisingly, mainly in Hindi. His vast oeuvre survives to this date, and is a repository of beautiful poetry for the generations to come.

Rabindranath Tagore

A lot of people may not be aware, but Tagore wrote Hindi poems, especially in the Braj dialect of Hindi. His poems are a piece of heaven, and often devotional in nature.

Subhadra Kumari Chauhan

A stalwart in the Indian independence movement, Chauhan is famous for her patriotically charged poetry. Of this, Jhansi Ki Rani is a classic, and one of the most read Hindi poems ever.

Also Read: 10 Best Books On Urdu Poetry