Shayar Jamali, whose real name was Syed Nazar-ul-Hasnain, was born on 15 June 1943 in Qazi Pura, a culturally and literary renowned locality of Bahraich. His father was Syed Shaukat Ali and his mother was Hamida Begum. He received his education up to an M.A. in Urdu. Later, he joined the Health Department in Jaunpur as a Health Supervisor and retired from the same position. Most of Shayar Jamali’s life was spent in Jaunpur. His parents, brothers and other family members later moved from Bahraich to Nanpara, where they settled. For this reason, Shayar Jamali frequently visited Nanpara and stayed at his parents’ residence, located near the house of the poet Shariq Rabbani.
Apart from participating in All India Mushairas held across India, Shayar Jamali also participated in Mushairas held abroad. He performed at Mushairas in Doha (Qatar), Dubai, Abu Dhabi and other places, taking his poetry to a wider audience and gaining considerable recognition. According to the poet and writer Shariq Rabbani, Shayar Jamali was an accomplished ghazal poet and a distinguished figure in Urdu literature. Three collections of Shayar Jamali’s poetry were published: (1) Karb, (2) Sahifa, and (3) Lehja. He received the Urdu Academy Award for his poetry collection Lehja. In recognition of his literary services, he was also honoured with the Purvanchal Ratan Samman, Nazir Banarasi Award, and All India Kamil Award. Shayar Jamali maintained close literary and personal associations with several prominent poets and writers of his time. These included Rahat Indori, Bashir Badr, Anwar Jalalpuri, Izhar Warsi, Asar Bahraichi, Meraj Faizabadi, Ahmad Nisar, Aslam Ilahabadi, Alam Ghazipuri, and Shariq Rabbani, among others. Shayar Jamali passed away on 8 October 2008, while travelling to attend an All India Mushaira. He died at Faizabad Railway Station and was laid to rest in Nanpara. A large number of local and visiting literary personalities attended his funeral.
Shayar Jamali’s poetry prominently reflects various dimensions of human emotions, social conditions, political and social consciousness, experiences of life, and contemporary issues. His ghazals combine a simple and effective mode of expression with a deep sense of social awareness. His poetry gives expression to the inner world of the individual, social inequalities, oppression and injustice, war, human values, and the challenges of a changing age.