Gopaldas Neeraj | |
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Born | Gopaldas Saxena 4 January 1925 Puravali, United Provinces, British India |
Died | 19 July 2018 Delhi, India | (aged 93)
Occupation(s) | poet, songwriter |
Spouse |
Savitri Devi (m. 1945–2001) |
Children | Milan Prabhat Gunjan[1][2] |
Awards |
Gopaldas Saxena (known by his nom-de-plume, Neeraj; 4 January 1925[3] – 19 July 2018[4]) was an Indian poet and author of Hindi literature. He was also a poet of Hindi Kavi sammelan (Poets Meet). He wrote under the pen name "Neeraj".[5]
Gopaldas Saxena was born in the village of Puravali, near Mahewa in Etawah district of Uttar Pradesh, India, on 4 January 1925. He was born into a Hindu family of the Kayastha caste. Besides writing, he earned his living teaching in a college and was a Professor of Hindi Literature in Dharma Samaj College, Aligarh.[6][7] Around 2012, Neeraj was the chancellor of Mangalayatan University, Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh.[citation needed]
Several poems and songs written by Neeraj have been used in Hindi movies. He wrote songs for several Hindi films and was proficient in both Hindi and Urdu. In a television interview, Neeraj called himself an unlucky poet who had to concentrate on the poetry form instead of writing songs for films.[citation needed] His career as a film lyricist ended when he became depressed by the deaths of some of the film music directors with whom he had worked.[8] He noted in particular the deaths of Jaikishan of the music duo Shankar–Jaikishan, and S. D. Burman, for both of whom he had written highly popular film songs.[6]
He was awarded the Padma Shri in 1991[9] and Padma Bhushan in 2007.[10]
Neeraj died, aged 93, on 19 July 2018 in New Delhi. He had been admitted to hospital with a lung infection.[11]
Some of the popular film songs written by Neeraj include:
Song | Film |
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Subah na aai sham na aai | Cha Cha Cha[citation needed] |
Sapne jhare phool se | Nai Umar Ki Nai Fasal |
Likhe jo khat tujhe | Kanyadaan |
Kaal ka paahiya ghoome bhaiya | Chanda Aur Bijli |
Ae bhai zara dekh ke chalo | Mera Naam Joker |
Aap yahan aaye kis liye | Kal Aaj Aur Kal |
Phoolon ke rang se | Prem Pujaari |
Rangila re tere rang me | |
Khilte hai gul yahan | Sharmilee |
Megha chhaye aadhi raat | |
Aaj madhosh hua jaaye re | |
Kaise kahe hum | |
Dil aaj shayar hai | Gambler |
Mera man tera pyaasa | |
Chudi nahin ye mera dil hai | |
Re man sur ma ga | Lal Paththar |
Jeevan ki baagiyan | Tere Mere Sapne |
Jaise Radha ne mala japi | |
Ek maine kasam li, ek tune kasam li | |
Jhoom ke ga yuhn aaj mere dil | Patanga |
Tum kitni khubsoorat ho | Jangal Mein Mangal |
International | |
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National | |
Artists | |
Other |