The Story of Kaifi Azmi:
"Zindagi jehad mein hai sabr ke qaabu mein nahi, Nabz-e-hastii kaa lahuu kaamptii aansuu mein nahiiin, Urne khulne mein hai nakhat kham-e-gesu mein nahiin, Jannat aik aur hai jo mard ke pahluu mein nahiin, Uski azaad ravish par bhi machalnaa hai tujhe, UTH MERI JAAN MERE SAATH HI CHALNA HAI TUJHE"
Kaifi Azmi was born in the village of Mijwan in Eastern India where his gift for writing was found at just the age of eleven. His love for poetry grew in which he used to promote social change for the rights of women.
He left Mijwan as a teenager to study theology; however was expelled from his seminary. He then moved to Mumbai where his career took off. Following his passion for writing, he worked within the film and music industry as well as writing poetry. His work soared and he became extremely successful. Unfortunately he suffered a stroke at the age of 54 which left him partially paralysed on his left side. He decided to return home from the busy city of Mumbai to the village of Mijwan.
He recognised that Mijwan had not been developed at the same rate as the main cities in India. They had no roads, no electricity and no schools even after 40 years since Kaifi had lived there. He set out to help not only Mijwan, but other villages across India too, to spread out the economic process more equally.
Kaifi Azmi believed that in a country like India, where 80% of the population lives in the villages, that villages need to be empowered if India is to make any real progress. He famously once said, “When one is working for change, one should bring into that expectation the possibility that the change may not occur in one’s lifetime and yet one must carry on working towards it”.
He founded Mijwan Welfare Society (MWS) in 1993 as a charity for the pure focus on women and children in rural India. He also began the Kaifi Azmi Girls Inter-college, Kaifi Azmi Computer Centre and the Sewing and Embroidery centre. Since his passing, his daughter, Shabana Azmi, has taken over to carry on his dream. She now stands as the president of MWS along-side Namrata Goyal as the Youth President and Secretary of Mijwan Welfare Society.