Celebrated progressive Ghazal writer Majrooh Sultanpuri recited his poems at several Mushairas with Jigar Moradabadi. At a Mumbai Mushaira in 1945 when Majrooh was announced to recite his poetry, many people made light of him considering him an amateur, but when he started with his Ghazal the entire crowd was overwhelmed with awe and Majrooh stole the show. Jigar and Hasrat Mohani, who were also performing there, showered endless praises upon him. At this very Mushaira, film director A.R. Kardar was also present who was working on a film named ‘Shaah Jahaan’. He was so influenced by Majrooh that he requested him to write the songs for this film, Majrooh accepted and music director Naushad composed the songs. Khumar Barabankvi too started his lyric-writing career with this film.

Shamsur Rahman Farooqi (1935-2020), a renowned critic, novelist, author of dozens of books, and a multi-faceted personality, was the shining star of Urdu literature who had an unusual penchant for reading books since childhood. He had glasses on his eyes from the age of twelve only, and was called ‘Bachche Miyan’ at home. Until BA, he was educated in Gorakhpur, where his father was settled and employed. Close to his college, was a book-binding shop, and all the books that came in there, Farooqi Sahib read them then and there. He would often read a book while walking to college with his cousins, and his brothers would save him from cars, bicycles and rickshaws. As he went to Allahabad to do his MA in English, the habit of reading books while walking continued. Seeing his state of engrossment, wayfarers would themselves give way to him. He held senior positions in the Indian Postal Service, and whenever he had some respite from the official files, one would find a book in his hands. During his service, he published a monthly literary magazine called Shab-Khoon, which lasted for forty consecutive years. The magazine helped promote the modernist trend in poetry.
Apart from literature, Farooqi Sahib also took delight in painting and music; especially enamored with Indian classical music. He was also very interested in animals and birds. In Allahabad, he kept different kinds of birds in his house. He could not see any animal dying or being slaughtered. His hometown was Azamgarh but he was born in his maternal house in Pratabgarh.