Manzar Bhopali, whose real name is Syed Ali Raza, is a well-known Indian Urdu poet. He was born on 29 December 1959 in Amravati, Madhya Pradesh, and at a young age moved with his family to Bhopal, where he received his early upbringing and education. He completed his M.A. in Urdu. His literary inclination was inherited; his father, Mir Abbas Ali, was associated with literature and was a poet, while his grandfather, Mir Khairat Ali, was a renowned hakim (traditional physician) of his time.
Manzar Bhopali began writing poetry at the age of fourteen and participated in a mushaira for the first time at seventeen. He received poetic guidance from Raza Rampuri. Primarily a ghazal poet, he has also experimented with other poetic genres. His melodious voice and impactful recitation are considered his distinctive hallmarks.
Over a poetic journey spanning more than three decades, he has authored more than a dozen books in Urdu and Hindi. Notable among them are Yeh Sadi Hamari Hai, Zindagi, Lahoo-rang Mausam, Lava, Manzar Ek Bulandi Par, and Udaas Kyun Ho. He has participated in thousands of mushairas across five continents and more than two dozen countries. After attending the first International Mushaira in Karachi in 1987, he undertook literary tours to numerous countries, including the United States, Canada, Australia, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and England.
In recognition of his literary contributions, he has received several honours in India and abroad, including honorary citizenship of Louisville (USA) and the “Pride of Madhya Pradesh” Award conferred by the Government of Madhya Pradesh in 2018. Manzar Bhopali is still regarded as a respected, popular, and powerful voice of Urdu mushairas on the global stage.