Born as Akhtar Hussain Rizvi in a family of landlords of a small town of Uttar Pradesh, Kaifi Azmi(1919) was a very renowned Urdu poet of India. Though his father, Syed Fateh Hussain Rizvi was a landlord, he also worked as a Tehsildar in a small state in Uttar Pradesh.

Kaifi Azmi's father wanted to send him to a school that imparted English education. Despite his best efforts, he could not do so because he faced stiff opposition from the elders of the family. Others wanted him to become a theologian and Kaifi Azmi was sent to a very reputed institution of Lucknow that was called Sultan al Madaris. Kaifi Azmi was a radical thinker and this created many problems for the institution. He was instrumental in creating a Student's Union and asked every student to go on strikes to get their demands fulfilled. The College authorities were provoked and they expelled Kaifi Azmi out of the college.

Though he could not become a theologian, he got many degrees in different languages and mastered Kaifi Azmilanguages like Arabic, Urdu and Persian. He also passed various examinations from the university of Allahabad. Many great writers of Lucknow noticed him and they gave him constant encouragement and support. He started to rise up on the ladder of poetry and rapidly gained fame and recognition. He began from a very tender age of 11. His initiation into poetry has an interesting story behind it.

He managed to get himself invited to a Mushaira (poetry recital event) once. Over there, he recited a couplet, which was very much appreciated by everyone present there. When the news reached his father, he said that Kaifi must have recited his brother's ghazal. But when his brother denied it, people were very fascinated by this young protégé. With his poetry, he also joined the communist party during the Quit India movement for independence.

He left his comfortable life and worked in the textile mills of Kanpur