Agha Shahid Ali, an Indian-American Kashmiri poet, was born on 4 February 1949, New Delhi, India. He was born in a respected Agha family of Srinagar. Shahid was schooled at the Burn Hall School later he went to University of Kashmir and Hindu college, University of Delhi. He left for United States in 1976 and in 1984 he earned a PhD in English from Pennsylvania state university and in 1985 an M.F.A from university of Arizona. He was at teaching positions at nine universities and colleges in India as well as United States.

Agha has written nine poetry collections, a collection of ghazals and a book of literary criticism (1986). He has also translated a collection of Faiz Ahmad Faiz's poetry(1992) and edited Ravishing Disunities: Real Ghazals in English (2000). Agha was known for his unique blend of multiple ethnic influences and ideas in his work. His Hindu, Muslim and Western heritage are reflected in his works.

Agha started publishing his work in the early 1970s but his collection "A walk through the Yellow Pages" was the reason he gained widespread recognition. His famous work include: "A walk though the Yellow Pages"(1987), "The Half-inch Himalayas"(1987), "A Nostalgist's Map of America"(1991), "The Country Without a Post Office"(1997), and "Rooms are never Finished"(2001), the later a finalist for the National Book Award.

Agha Shahid Ali was later diagnosed with brain cancer and died of it on December 8 2001 in Amherst, Massachusetts.