Famous Urdu poet Rahat Indori died of cardiac attack today evening at 5 PM in Indore, Madhya Pradesh. He was being treated for COVID-19 at a hospital. He was 70 years old.
Indori was admitted to the hospital on Tuesday morning after he tested positive for the disease.
“He was admitted for coronavirus treatment but passed away after suffering a heart attack,” Satlaj Indori, his son told PTI.
In the morning, the lyricist-poet tweeted about his confirmed COVID-19 report and said he will keep everyone updated through social media.
“After initial symptoms of COVID-19, my corona test was done yesterday which came out positive. Pray that I defeat this disease as soon as possible,” Indori said in his last post.
Indori had an illustrious career as an Urdu poet. Many of his couplets are famous not just in Urdu “mehfils” but are known to the common man also, a feat not many poets have acheived.
During the anti-CAA-NRC protests, the lines from his poem- “Sabhi ka khoon shamil hai yahan ki mitti mein /kisi ke baap ka Hindustan thodi hai” became the anthem of protesters all across India.
While Muslims were questioned to prove their patriotism on streets and asked to sing vande matram, Indori wrote-
‘मैं मर जाऊं, तो मेरी एक अलग पहचान लिख देना, लहू से मेरी पेशानी पे हिन्दुस्तान लिख देना’
( Rough Translation: “When I die, write a new identity for me, With blood write Hindustani on my forehead”
Condolences have been pouring in on social media with many sharing photos and his poems on their timelines.
[…] Indori – the poet of the masses has passed away as I sit down to write this article. His poetry seemed like cannons fired to the rulers who spread […]
[…] mushaira across the country and outside of it, drawing huge crowds every single time. Rahat Indori passed away due to a heart attack on August 11, 2020, just one day after he tested positive for […]