Renowned Urdu poet Munawwar Rana died at 71 due to a cardiac arrest at the PGI Hospital in Lucknow. He had been battling with prolonged illness for the past several months.
Renowned Urdu poet Munawwar Rana died due to a cardiac arrest at the PGI Hospital in Lucknow on Sunday. He was 71.
The poet had been battling with prolonged illness for the past several months and was undergoing treatment at the PGI Hospital.
Born on November 26, 1952, in Uttar Pradesh’s Raebareli, Rana was widely recognised for his contributions to Urdu literature and poetry, particularly for his ghazals. His poetic style was notable for its accessibility, as he often incorporated Hindi and Awadhi words while avoiding Persian and Arabic, which resonated with Indian audiences.
His most famous poem was ‘Maa’, which celebrated the virtues of a mother within the traditional ghazal form.
Throughout his career, Rana received numerous accolades, including the prestigious Sahitya Akademi Award in 2014 for his poetry book ‘Shahdaba’. However, he returned the award about a year later due to concerns over rising intolerance in the country.
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Other awards he received include the Ameer Khusro Award, Mir Taqi Mir Award, Ghalib Award, Dr Zakir Hussain Award, and the Saraswati Samaj Award. His works have been translated into several languages.
Rana spent much of his life in Kolkata and had a significant presence in mushairas (poetic symposiums) both in India and abroad.
The poet was also active in political developments in Uttar Pradesh. His daughter Sumaiya is a member of the Samajwadi Party (SP), led by Akhilesh Yadav.