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Noted Urdu poet Rahat Indori dies at 70

Noted Urdu poet Rahat Indori dies at 70

He was tested positive for Covid-19 on Monday, and suffered two consecutive heart attacks on Tuesday.
12 Aug, 2020

NEW DELHI: Noted Urdu poet Rahat Indori, who lent his voice to the nation-wide protests against a communal citizenship law, died in a hospital in Indore on Tuesday, reports said.

He was tested positive for Covid-19 on Monday, and suffered two consecutive heart attacks on Tuesday.

“He suffered two heart attacks today and could not be saved. He was admitted to hospital on Sunday, after testing positive for Covid-19. He had 60pc pneumonia,” The Hindustan Times newspaper quoted Dr Vinod Bhandari of Sri Aurobindo Hospital as saying.

Indori’s Twitter bio describes him as “Indian Poet, Painter, Bollywood Lyricist”.

Before he checked himself into a hospital for treatment, the poet had tweeted about being coronavirus positive, asking people to pray for his quick recovery. He further asked people to not call up either him or his home to know about his health. He had said they will be getting updates through Twitter.

Among the poet’s most powerful lines are “Sabhi ka khoon hai shamil yahan ki mitti mein; Kisi ke baap ka Hindustan thodi hai (Everybody’s blood mingles in the soil; Hindustan does not belong solely to one)”.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi mourned the passing of “Indori Sahab” with a couplet: Ab na main hoon na baqi hain zamane mere/ Phir bhi mashoor hain shehron mein fasaane mere. (I’m gone and my era has ended/ But the legend of my work rings through the streets that my voice touched.)

Historian and author Rana Safvi termed the poet’s death a “huge huge loss to a fearless voice and to the world of poetry”.


Published in Dawn, August 12th, 2020

Comments

Rajeev Aug 12, 2020 12:11pm
RIP Rahat sahab. I like your poetry but even more your style of telling it. You will live in our memories for a very long time.
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Kumar Majethia Aug 12, 2020 12:20pm
He was a free soul in a free land. Spoke his heart out and how!!
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Mann Aug 12, 2020 12:22pm
Rest In Peace Rahat Indori.
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Shakil Ahmed Aug 12, 2020 12:47pm
Another beautiful couplet by him; Jo Aaj Sahib-e-Masnad hein kal nahee hon gey Kira-e-dar hein maalik makan thori hein What a great poet he was. May his soul RIP (Ameen).
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Syed A. Mateen Aug 12, 2020 12:52pm
Urdu poet Rahat Indori was very famous in Pakistan. Such out spoken poets are born in decades. He will be missed among his fans for a long time to come. RIP.
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Anujit Aug 12, 2020 12:52pm
A great loss indeed. I believe he traveled all the districts of Hindustan with his poetic collections and performances. Not only a poet a good orator also. RIP.
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Sri1 Aug 12, 2020 12:59pm
Innalillahe wainnaelehe rajoon. RIP. A future India will remember and celebrate him as one of the last of the great poets from the quasi-secular era or the appeasement era.
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Shah of Norway Aug 12, 2020 01:02pm
My maternal grandfather used to work in Indore before independence for a Sikh entrepreneur. My uncle has never been to Indore but he know the geography of the entire place out of memory from the stories he heard from his father. Our ancestral homeland is Pakistan (our paternal ancestor Syed Abdullah Khwarizmi entered Multan in 1028) but it go to show you the links that existed in the Subcontinent.
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Cye Aug 12, 2020 01:10pm
Inna lillahe wa inna ilehe rajeoon.
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Marquis de Sade Aug 12, 2020 02:17pm
A loss to the arts. And an opportunity for Pappu's team to make people believe he understands hindi.
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HARIS Aug 12, 2020 03:32pm
Innallillahe wa inna ellehe rajiouun - Certainly a great loss to humanity.
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Babbu Aug 12, 2020 03:36pm
Bulaati hai magar .... magar jaane ka nai. but finally gone.
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M. Emad Aug 12, 2020 03:41pm
Urdu language dying in India.
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AZAM AKBAR Aug 12, 2020 04:04pm
Rest In Peace.
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RAja Raman Aug 12, 2020 04:20pm
RIP
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Dr. Salaria, Aamir Ahmad Aug 12, 2020 04:33pm
Inna Lilla Hay Waa Inna Illehey Rajayoon.
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Bhaijan Aug 12, 2020 04:46pm
He was an exceptional lively poet. His poetry always project the Indian history and spirit. He had a great respect in both Hindus & Muslim Communitis, often invited to grace Jashan-e-Rekhta events, besides equally invited by Hindus at their events to grace the audience with his poetry. His lively poetry graced the occasions many times at Dubai, Houston, Kuwait,and many capitals including Karachi & Quetta. Rahat Indoori Sahab , or known as Dr Rahat Indoori will be long remembered in Indo Pak for his wonderful poetry. RIP.
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Majid Aug 12, 2020 08:09pm
Probably the last of the most celebrated Muslim poet of our era. RIP.
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Kumar(Varanasi) Aug 12, 2020 09:26pm
Rest in peace . Lively rendition. "Bulati hai magar jane ka nahi." Jo gaya jahan se to phir vapas ane ka nahi.
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Dr Vikas Jamwal Aug 12, 2020 10:32pm
Symbol of national integration. RIP.
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Kumar(Varanasi) Aug 13, 2020 01:16am
RIP. Bulati hai magar jane ka nahi.
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Tejaa Aug 13, 2020 04:38am
Great Urdu Shayar, indeed. I wish he could help bringing objective changes in our community's mindset and show them the path to learning and economic success. He surely had that following and charisma. May his soul rest in eternal peace.
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Banglamitra Aug 13, 2020 05:42am
Awesome poet with unique style. RIP.
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Abdullah Aug 13, 2020 06:20am
Legendary poet... 2 gaz zameen hi sahe par apni to hai, aey mot tu nay mjh ko zamendar kr dia
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Vishesh Aug 13, 2020 07:53am
Colorful personalty full of confidence, emotion and fearless. We dont find many artist with so many qualities these days RIP
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Fairguy Aug 13, 2020 11:29am
His relatively recent "Woh bulati hai .........." couplet became very big Hit in India and is much liked by the youth.
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Fairguy Aug 13, 2020 11:29am
Evergreen Poet.
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Fairguy Aug 13, 2020 11:31am
@Babbu He is very much here ...... in the hearts.
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Kunal, Gurgaon Aug 13, 2020 12:16pm
Besides his poetic skills, his delivery was very captivating. RIP.
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