Munawwar Rana dies of cardiac arrest

New Delhi: Acclaimed poet Munawwar Rana died on Sunday due to cardiac arrest.

The 71-year-old Rana underwent a surgery to remove gallbladder stones last year in May.

The poet was also suffering from throat cancer and undergoing dialysis.

A native of Rae Bareli district, Rana was awarded the Sahitya Akademi Award in 2014.

Rana, a prominent name in 'mushaira' circles, is one of India's most popular and admired poets who writes both in Hindi and Urdu. One of his most famous poems is 'Maa' in which he used the genre of 'ghazal' to extol the virtues of a mother.