Kaneez Fatima Haya Lakhnavi was an Urdu poetess and writer known by her pen name (takhallus) Haya Lakhnavi. She was born in 1915 in Faizabad, India. Her father’s name was Chaudhry Naimatullah, and he held the post of Chief Justice of Allahabad. She was married to Chaudhry Abdul Rehman. She was actively involved in the Urdu literary world, particularly in Lucknow, where she participated in Urdu Mushairas (poetry recitals) broadcast on All India Radio Lucknow. This aligns with her presence in the pre-partition Indian literary scene. She served as an editor for Urdu literary magazines, contributing to the preservation and promotion of Urdu poetry and prose.
Her editorial work includes:
“Haya” (Lucknow), with known issues from January and March 1940.
“Bazm E Urdu” (Volume 7, Issue 25), from January-March 1994.
These magazines featured compilations of Urdu literature, and her role as editor indicates her influence in curating content for Urdu enthusiasts. She also edited a book, “Sheristan“.