One of the iconic Bengali poets of the 20th century, Mir Abdus Shukur Al Mahmud, or better known as Al Mahmud was born on July 11, 1936 in Bangladesh. He was one of the few poets who opened a new avenue for modern Bengali poems. The themes for most of his poems were directly taken from contemporary politics and social condition such as Bengali Language Movement, economical repression, and the oppression of the then West Pakistan government. Another notable aspect of his writing is that they are the perfect amalgamation of reality and imagination that every reader can relate to. Some of his renowned works are ‘Lok Lokantor’, ‘Kaler Kalos’, ‘Mayabi Porda Dule Otho’, ‘Arobbo Rajanir Rajhash’, ‘Dinjapon’, ‘Ditiyo Bhangon’, ‘Ekti Pakhi Lej Jhola’, ‘Jebhabe Gore Uthi’, etc. However, it was ‘Shonali Kabin’ that marked a new era in Bengali poetry and brought him immense appreciation. He was awarded with the Bangla Academy Literary Award, Humayun Kabir Memorial Award, Kabi Jasim Uddin Award, Ekushey Padak, and Lalon Award. He passed away on February 15, 2019.