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. Early life 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. Career Raeesh Maniar started to write poems in 1977 as an 11-year-old child. In December 1981, he had a poem published for the first time in a daily newspaper, Gujarat Samachar. He started his career as a medical doctor in 1993 at Surat. From 2008, he restricted his practice to developmental and behavioural child psychology. In 2013, he abandoned his clinical practice as a doctor and started to work full-time as a freelance writer, playwright, compere, lyricist and script writer. He has written songs for Gujarati films, including Kevi Rite Jaish (2012), Aa To Prem Chhe, Vishwasghat, Polampol, Musafir, Vitamin She and Je Pan Kahish Te Sachu Kahish. In 2013, he penned the background song "Thai Dod Dod Gali Vaat Mod" for Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela. He also wrote the script for the popular Gujarati plays Antim Aparadh, Ek Anokho Karar and Love You Jindagi. All three plays were among the winners in the Chitralekha competition. The Sandesh newspaper published his column, "Aras-paras Ni Academy", every Sunday. Formerly, he wrote the column "Vaat Nu Vatesar", in the same newspaper from 2010 to 2014. He has also written a column called "Paraspar" for NavGujarat Samay since 2014. Now his humor column "Masti Amasti" is published in "Divya Bhaskar" newspaper since 2018. Works Raeesh Maniar is known for his ghazals and hazals (humorous ghazals)