Born in Surat to a middle class family, even as an adolescent, Sultan Nathani was fond of
dramatics, art and literature. He was an intellectual thinker, a rationalist and an ardent
secularist.

Due to his hard work, integrity and foresight he rose to be a leading industrialist. Having
retired since over a decade, he had engaged himself in heading various social and
charitable organisations and Trusts.

Sultan Nathani's main aim in life was to popularise the Urdu language in Hindi script, which
according to him would be a first step towards national integration.

Although Urdu had not been his mother tongue, he found immense enjoyment in Urdu
language and with a view to popularise Urdu among the non-Urdu speaking people. He
initiated the project under the title series of URDU FOR PLEASURE FOR GHAZAL
LOVERS, the preparation of an Urdu-English dictionary, especially restricting the words
to those mainly used in Ghazals, Mushaairas and Hindi film songs so as to enable the
common man to enjoy and understand the meaning of each and every word.

Though partially disabled in the last six years, he had remained active and used his time
in bringing out the 3rd and 4th editions of his book, Urdu for Pleasure for Ghazal Lovers,
which have become very popular and a must for every lover of Urdu language.