Sahitya Academy awarded prominent Urdu poet Munawwar Rana died of a heart attack here on Sunday night.
He was 71. He breathed his last at Sanjay Gandhi PostGraduate Institute of Medical Sciences, here. Rana was ill for a long time and was undergoing treatment. He is survived by his wife, four daughters, and a son.
According to information, Munawwar Rana was suffering from chronic kidney disease and had to undergo dialysis three times a week. Recently he also had developed pneumonia.
A native of Rae Bareli, Rana’s contribution to Urdu literature and poetry, especially his ghazals, was widely recognised. He often used Hindi and Awadhi words, which appealed to the Indian audience. His most famous poem is ‘Maa’, which describes the qualities of a mother in ghazal style.
Rana was honoured with the Sahitya Akademi Award and the Mati Ratan Award. Though he returned it for political reasons. His other awards include the Amir Khusro Award, Mir Taqi Mir Award, Ghalib Award, Dr Zakir Hussain Award and Saraswati Samaj Award. His works have been translated into many languages.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Samajwadi Party President Akhilesh Yadav have expressed their grief at the death of Munnawwar Rana.
The Prime Minister posted on X: “Pained by the passing away of Shri Munawwar Rana Ji. He made rich contributions to Urdu literature and poetry. Condolences to his family and admirers. May his soul rest in peace.”