Zafar Gorakhpuri was born on 05 May, 1935. He moved to Bombay (now MumbaI) at an early age where he lived all his life. He chose teaching as a career but remained associated with literary and cultural societies since the beginning. In 1951, he got associated with the Progressive Writers Movement and remained in close association with all the major figures of the movement in Bombay. Zafar wrote ghazals but he also practiced nazm, and doha. He also wrote lyrics for films.