Urdu poet Rahat Indori dies during COVID-19 treatment

Indore: Celebrated Urdu poet Rahat Indori, whose simple and lucid couplets attracted a huge fan following in India and abroad, died on Tuesday, his son said.

The 70-year-old teacher-turned-poet, who was being treated for COVID-19, died of a heart attack at a hospital in Indore, said his son Satlaj Indori, also a poet.

Among Rahat Indori's most powerful lines were, "Sabhi ka khoon hai shamil yahan ki mitti mein; Kisi ke baap ka Hindustan thodi hai (Everybodys blood mingles in the soil here; Hindustan does not belong solely to any one)".

Indori, who recited couplets in very expressive style, was admitted to the hospital on Tuesday morning after he tested positive for the disease.

"He was admitted for coronavirus treatment but died after suffering a heart attack," Satlaj Indori told PTI.

Indore District Collector Manish Singh said he was undergoing treatment at Sri Aurobindo Institute of Medical Sciences here.

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 coronavirus test was done yesterday which came out positive. Pray that I defeat this disease as soon as possible," Indori said in his last post.

With a 50-year career in poetry, Indori was known for the lyrics of songs like "M Bole toh" from Munnabhai MBBS (2003), Chori Chori Jab Nazrein Mili from Kareeb (1998), Koi jaye to le aye from Ghatak (1996), and "Neend Churai Meri" from Ishq (1997). His lyrics were used in 11 Bollywood films.

Earlier this year, his poem "Bulati hai magar jane ka nahi" went viral on social media, rendering him a sensation among the youth. Memes using the poem's opening lines flooded social media during Valentine's Day.

Indori studied at Nutan School in Indore and graduated from Islamia Karimia College Indore. He passed his MA in Urdu literature from Barkatullah University, Bhopal in 1975 and was awarded a PhD in Urdu literature from the Bhoj University in 1985 for his thesis titled Urdu Main Mushaira.

While teaching Urdu literature at IK College, he also became busy with 'mushairas' and started receiving invitations from all over India and abroad.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi mourned the passing of "Indori Sahab" with a couplet.

Historian and author Rana Safvi termed the poets death a "huge huge loss to a fearless voice and to the world of poetry".