Poet Rahat Indori dies at 70 after testing positive for COVID-19

Indore, August 11

Famous Urdu poet Rahat Indori, who was being treated for COVID-19, died of a heart attack at a hospital here on Tuesday, his son Satlaj Indori said. He was 70.

The poet had been 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 Indori was undergoing treatment at Sri Aurobindo Institute of Medical Sciences.

In the morning, the lyricist-poet tweeted about his confirmed COVID-19 report and said he will keep everyone updated through social media.

Read also: Lyricists, musicians remember ‘prolific, powerful’ poet Rahat Indori

“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.

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).

Earlier this year, his poem ‘Bulati hai magar jane ka nahi’ went viral on social media, rendering him a sensation among the youth.

Indori did his schooling from Nutan School in Indore and his graduation from Islamia Karimia College, also in Indore.

He passed his MA exam 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. PTI