Syed Amin Ashraf was a preeminent Urdu Ghazal poet and critic.
He earned his PhD in English Literature from Aligarh Muslim University on the topic Major Themes and Imagery in Sarogini Naidu's Poetry, and later served the same Department.
He produced three poetic collections and a critical compendium of essays in the form of a book.
Several academic awards were conferred on his poetic anthologies, and numerous critical articles and books praised his poetic artistry.
He died on 7 February 2013 (25th Rabiul Awwal 1434H) in Aligarh of a cardiac arrest, and was buried beside his father's grave near the shrine of Ashraf Jahangir Semnani at Kichaucha Sharif.