1952 (Raebareli) – 2024 (Lucknow) • Poet of Motherhood
"A poet who achieved massive popularity by writing extensively and emotionally about 'Maa' (Mother) and the deep pain of migration from villages to big cities. Rana deliberately avoided heavy Persian vocabulary, opting instead for an Awadhi-touched, colloquial Hindi/Urdu mix. He famously returned his Sahitya Akademi award in protest against growing intolerance in India."