Munawwar Rana

Munawwar Rana (Urdu: منور رانا, Hi: मुनव्वर राना) (born 26 November 1952) is a modern Hindi and Urdu poet.He was born in the sleepy town of Rae Bareli in Uttar Pradesh in 1952. Most of his close relatives, including his aunts and grandmother, had moved across the border to Pakistan during the upheavals of the Partition. But his father, out of love for India, preferred to remain here, despite the prevailing communal frenzy. His family later moved to Kolkata where the young Munawwar had his schooling. The notable feature of his poetry is that he used the genre of Ghazal to eulogize Mother, which is unique, as Ghazal was considered a poetic form in which lovers' conversed with each other. Apart from his poetry collection, Rana has also penned a memoir. Rana's poetry has also been published in Hindi, Urdu, Bengali and Gurumukhi.
Rana is known to be a sensitive poet who uses Hindi and Awadhi words in the couplets. He avoids using flowery language and shuns chaste Urdu in his couplets, which is a reason that he is successful in poetic meets in non-Urdu areas also.

He hails from Rae Bareli in Uttar Pradesh but spent most of his life in Kolkata.

Munnawar Rana published his poetry not only in Urdu but also in Hindi and Bengali. He performs poetry on stage as well.

Apart from his poetry collection, Rana has also penned a memoir. One recent performance was at Culrav, the cultrural event of NIT Allahabad, in 2012.

Sher:

Yeh Aisa Karz Hai Jo Main Ada Kar hi Nahi.n Sakta

Main Jab tak Ghar na Lautu.n meri Maa Sajde Me.in Rehti hai

Munawwar has written numerous ghazals that are published collectively in various editions by various publications. He has a distinct style of writing compared to his contemporaries in the literary space of Hindustani (mainly of Hindi and Urdu). Most of his Shers have Mother as the centre point of his love, much different from other poets. A glimpse of his work:

ऐ अँधेरे! देख ले मुँह तेरा काला हो गया, माँ ने आँखें खोल दीं घर में उजाला हो गया.

तेरी यादों ने बख़्शी है हमें ये ज़िन्दगी वरना, बहुत पहले ही हम क़िस्सा-कहानी हो गये होते!

मैंने कल शब चाहतों की सब किताबें फाड़ दीं, सिर्फ़ इक काग़ज़ पे लिक्खा लफ़्ज़ माँ रहने दिया !

Sahitya Akademi Award for Urdu Literature 2014. (But like many other Sahitya Akademi award winners, he returned this award on 18 October 2015 on a live TV show,and vowed to never accept any government award in future, after being accused(along with other Akademi award winners) of being a part of a conspiracy to tarnish the image of government, by the leaders of the ruling party BJP and its ideologue RSS.
Vishisht Rituraj Samman Award under ‘Parampara Kavita Parv 2012’
Ameer Khusro Award 2006, Itawa
Kavita ka Kabir Samman Upadhi 2006, Indore
Mir Taqi Mir Award 2005
Shahood Alam Afkui Award 2005, Kolkata
Ghalib Award 2005, Udaipur
Dr. Zakir Hussain Award 2005, New Delhi
Saraswati Samaj Award 2004
Maulana Abdul Razzaq Malihabadi Award 2011 (West Bengal Urdu Academy)
Saleem Jafri Award 1997
Dilkush Award 1995
Rais Amrohvi Award 1993, Raebareli
Bharti Parishad Award, Allahabad
Humayun Kabir Award, Kolkata
Bazm e Sukhan Award, Bhusawal
Allahabad Press Club Award, prayag
Hazrat Almas Shah Award
Saraswati Samaj Award
Adab Award
Mir Award
Maulana Abul Hasan Nadvi Award
Ustad Bismillah khan Award

Kabir Award

Munnawar Rana is married and lives in Lucknow.