Renowned Urdu poet Rahat Indori dies of COVID-19

Dubai: Renowned Urdu poet Rahat Indori, who tested positive for COVID-19 on Monday, died due to the viral infection in Indore, Madhya Pradesh on Tuesday.

The 70-year-old lyricist had shared the information on Twitter on Monday and explained that he got tested for the virus after experiencing some initial symptoms. He had been admitted to Aurobindo hospital, Madhya Pradesh.

Earlier this year, the poet’s words had transformed into a rallying cry as anti-CAA protests erupted across the country. The line, “Kisi ke baap ka Hindustan thodi hai” (India doesn’t belong to anyone’s father), taken from ghazal "Agar khilaaf hain hone do” (If they are against you, let them be) gave a voice and purpose to dissent.

Rahat Indori was a well-known figure in the genre of Urdu poetry and has also penned lyrics for several Bollywood songs. He wrote the songs for the movies ‘Munna Bhai M.B.B.S’, ‘Murder’, and others.