All about Abdul Qavi Desnavi, the man who Google Doodle is celebrating

Google on Wednesday paid tribute to noted author Abdul Qavi Desnavi with its doodle.

But long before the doodle made Desnavi a household name, the Urdu poet, author and bibliographer was remembered by many for his contribution to and influence on the evolution of Urdu literature and academic thought in India.

Born 87 years ago in Desna, a small village in Bihar, into the family of Syed Mohammed Saeed Raza, Desnavi graduated from St. Xavier's college. He went on to join Saifia Post Graduate College's Urdu department as a professor in 1961.

He wrote about those who wrote about love & life. Celebrating the 87th birth anniversary of Abdul Qavi Desnavi. #GoogleDoodle pic.twitter.com/uOQ6QK18nI

— Google India (@GoogleIndia) November 1, 2017

He was also a mentor to other renowned Urdu writers such as Javed Akhtar and Iqbal Masood.



With over 50 books on Urdu literature to his credit in a career that spanned five decades, his work ranged from fiction, biographies, poetry, and anthologies, it said.

His magnum opus was ' Hayat-e-Abul Kalam Azad' based on the life of freedom fighter Maulana Azad.

His other major works include 'Urdu Shairi Ki Gyarah Aawazein', 'Bachchon Ka Iqbal', 'Allama Iqbal Bhopal Mein', 'Ek Shahar Panch Mashahirs', and 'Bhopal Aur Ghalib'.

Desnavi passed away on July 7, 2011, in Bhopal at the age of 80.