Raeesh Maniar

Raeesh Maniar (Gujarati: રઇશ મનીઆર) is a Gujarati language ghazal poet, translator, playwright, columnist, compere, lyricist and script writer from Gujarat, India. His significant works include Kafiyanagar (1989), Shabda Mara Swabhavma J Nathi (1998) and Aam Lakhvu Karave Alakh Ni Safar (2011). He has written two reference books for students of ghazals, Ghazal: Roop ane Rang (2006) and Ghazal Nu Chhandovidhan (2008). The later work contains original research that may be applicable to prosody of all north Indian languages. He has written lyrics for several Gujarati and Hindi language movies. The Indian National Theater of Mumbai awarded him the Shayda Award for 2001 and the Kalapi Award for 2016 for his contributions to Gujarati ghazal poetry. Maniar was born on 19 August 1966 in Killa Pardi, Valsad district, Gujarat. He took his secondary schooling from D.C.O. Killa in 1980 and completed higher secondary schooling at St. Xavier's School, Surat, in 1983. He completed his MD (Pediatrics) in 1991 at Surat Medical College. He married Ami Patel in 1989. He currently lives in Surat.