Gopaldas Neeraj

• Name — Gopaldas Neeraj • Birth Name — Gopaldas Saxena • Born — 4 January 1925 • Birthplace — Puravali, United Provinces, British India • Died — 19 July 2018 • Place of death — Delhi, India • Occupation — Poet, Songwriter • Children — Milan Prabhat Gunjan • Honours — * Padma Shri (1991) • Padma Bhushan (2007)

Gopaldas Saxena was born on 4 January 1925 in the village of Puravali, near Mahewa in Etawah district of Uttar Pradesh, India. Besides writing, he earned his living teaching in a college and was a professor of Hindi Literature in Dharma Samaj College, Aligarh. 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. 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. 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. He was awarded the Padma Shri in 1991 and Padma Bhushan in 2007. His poems collection is named as Kavyanjali, which was published in 2014. Neeraj died, aged 93, on 19 July 2018 in New Delhi. He had been admitted to hospital with a lung infection.

Some of the popular film songs written by Neeraj include: • Song — Film • Subah na aai sham na aai — Cha Cha Cha • 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 • Kehta hai joker sara zamana • 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 mann sur mein 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 yun aaj mere dil — Patanga • Tum kitni khubsoorat ho — Jangal Mein Mangal • Ek musafir hoon main, ek musafir hai tu — Gunaah (1993)