Pritam was born on August 31, 1919, in Gujranwala, Punjab, British India.[4] She was the only child of Raj Bibi, who was a school teacher, and Kartar Singh Hitkari, who was a poet, a scholar of the Braj Bhasha language, and the editor of a literary journal.[5][6]
She was known for her powerful and emotional poetry that often portrayed the struggles of women and the partition of India. Her writing continues to inspire generations of readers with its themes of love, loss, and social injustice.
She started her journey as a romantic poet[7] and soon became part of the Progressive Writers' Movement. The effect was seen in her collection,Lok Peed ("People's Anguish", 1944), which openly criticised the war-torn economy after the Bengal famine of 1943. She was also involved in social work.
She also worked at a radio station inLahore for a while, before the partition of India.[8]