Renowned Urdu Poet Munawwar Rana Dies at 71

The esteemed poet Munawwar Rana, aged 71, breathed his last at the Sanjay Gandhi Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences. Succumbing to a prolonged battle with throat cancer, Rana's demise occurred late at night, as confirmed by his daughter Sumaiya Rana to PTI. The poet will be laid to rest on Monday.

The poet is survived by his wife, four daughters and a son. He was hospitalised for 14 to 15 days due to illness. He was first admitted to Medanta in Lucknow and then to SGPGI where he breathed his last around 11 pm today, Munawwar Rana's son His son Tabrez Rana told PTI.
Munawwar Rana's poem Maa, which is considered one of his most famous poems, has a different place in the world of Urdu literature.

Munawwar Rana, born on November 26, 1952, in Raebareli, Uttar Pradesh, gained widespread acclaim for his significant impact on Urdu literature and poetry, particularly for his exceptional ghazals. His unique poetic style, characterized by the incorporation of Hindi and Awadhi words while steering clear of Persian and Arabic, made his work accessible and resonant with Indian audiences.

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.