Javed Akhtar is an Indian poet, lyricist and screenwriter. Akhtar is a mainstream writer and some of his most successful work was carried out with Salim Khan as half of the script-writing duo credited as Salim-Javed between 1971 and 1982. He is a recipient of the Padma Shri (1999), Padma Bhushan (2007), the Sahitya Akademi Award as well as thirteen Filmfare Awards.
He graduated from Saifiya College in Bhopal.