Mortal remains of renowned Urdu poet Munawwar Rana reached his residence in Lucknow

Rana on Sunday breathed his last at a hospital in Uttar Pradesh's Lucknow following a cardiac arrest. His body was brought from the PGI hospital to his Lal Kuan residence in Lucknow. He was 71 and had been battling with a prolonged illness for the past several months.

A large number of people, including family members, were present outside the house. Senior Samajwadi Party leader Juhi Singh also reached Munawwar Rana's house.

Born on November 26, 1952, in Uttar Pradesh's Raebareli, Munawwar Rana is known for his significant contributions to Urdu literature, especially for his ghazals.

In 2014, he was honoured with the Sahitya Akademi Award for his poem, 'Shahdaba'. However, he had returned the award, alleging 'intolerance' in the country.

His Sher (couplets) on 'Maa' was among his most celebrated works, praising the virtue of motherhood.

He also received other awards, including the Ameer Khusro Award, the Mir Taqi Mir Award, the Ghalib Award, the Dr Zakir Hussain Award, and the Saraswati Samaj Award, throughout his career.

The renowned Urdu poet is survived by his wife, Raina, four daughters and a son. (ANI)