New Delhi: Legendary Urdu poet and critic Shamsur Rahman Faruqi passed away on Friday at his Allahabad home, a month after recovering from COVID-19. He was 85.
“He had been insisting on returning home to Allahabad. We reached here only this morning and within half an hour he passed away at around 11,” Faruqi’s nephew and writer Mahmood Farooqui told PTI.
The Padma Shri poet was discharged from a hospital in Delhi on November 23 after recovering from COVID-19.
“But due to steroids, he developed a fungal infection, mycosis, which further worsened his condition,” Farooqui added.
Faruqi’s last rites will be performed at Ashok Nagar cemetery in Allahabad at 6 pm on Friday.
Born on September 30, 1935, in Uttar Pradesh, Faruqi is credited to have revived the Dastangoi, a 16th century Urdu oral storytelling art form.
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His books Mirror of Beauty (translated into English from the Urdu Kai Chaand The Sar-e-Aasmaan in 2006), Ghalib Afsaney Ki Himayat Mein (1989) and The Sun That Rose From The Earth (2014) are among others he wrote in his five-decade-long literary career.
He also received Saraswati Samman in 1996 for his work She’r-e Shor-Angez, a four-volume study of the 18th-century poet Mir Taqi Mir.
RIP, Janab Shamsur Rahman Faruqi saheb, one of the last great
Padshahs of the Urdu literary world. This is such sad news…— William Dalrymple (@DalrympleWill) December 25, 2020
The day comes with the saddest news as Janab Shamsur Rahman Faruqi- the most iconic figure in Urdu literature, passes away. His demise bereaves us & literature lovers across the world mourn this loss.
My deepest condolences to his loved ones.
Sanjiv Saraf
Rekhta Foundation— Rekhta (@Rekhta) December 25, 2020
Doyen of #Urdu (اردو), #ShamsurRahmanFaruqi is no more. He passed away this morning at 11.20 am, in his home in Allahabad
As a tribute, if you would like to read just one book written by him, that should, IMO, be this👇 The book is available in English and Hindi as well. pic.twitter.com/HZbQiZX1FT
— Mahtab महताब مہتاب (@MahtabNama) December 25, 2020
It’s not just the world of Urdu,
I feel I’ve been orphaned again.💔
Go well Sir.
Allah Jannat mein jagah ata farmaaye
Inna Lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji’un pic.twitter.com/zhcGb6nqWO— Rana Safvi رعنا राना (@iamrana) December 25, 2020