Renowned poet Munawwar Rana passed away at the Sanjay Gandhi Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences in Lucknow on January 14. He was 71 years old. Rana had been suffering from throat cancer for a long time. His daughter, Sumaiya Rana, confirmed that her father died at the hospital late on January 14 night and will be laid to rest on January 15.

Born in 1952 in Rae Bareli, Rana gained popularity for his use of simple words in his poems, making them accessible to the common people. In 2014, he was awarded the prestigious Gyanpeeth Award for his contributions to Urdu literature.

One of Rana’s most famous works is his poem ‘Maa’, which holds a special place in the world of Urdu literature. The news of his demise has saddened the literary community, and many have expressed their condolences. Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav shared a couplet from Rana’s poem and conveyed his heartfelt tribute.

Munawwar Rana’s legacy will continue to live on through his impactful poetry that resonated with people from all walks of life.