Born in undivided India, Begum Khursheed Shahid took an early interest in theatre and the arts. She began performing in Delhi with her siblings, inspired by Ram Leela events and the city's thriving cultural scene.
"Unlike others, my father was a liberal man and he believed education for girls was a must. He always supported me. We were four sisters and one brother. I think I was the only Muslim girl singing at that time," she said in an interview, as quoted in Dawn.
Under the guidance of Aruna Asif Ali, Shahid found a spot with All India Radio. After Partition, the family shifted to Lahore where Shahid continued her broadcast singing stint with Radio Pakistan. From Roshan Ara Begam to Faiz Ahmed Faiz and Saadat Hasan Manto, Shahid knew and moved about in the most elite Pakistani social circles.