Rubina Qureshi
Rubina (or Rubeena) Qureshi (Sindhi: روبينه قريشي; Birth: 19 October 1940) was one of the leading Sindhi classical singers of Pakistan. She was very popular during the period from 1960s to 1990s. She was also one of the earliest Sindhi female singers introduced by Radio Pakistan Hyderabad, Sindh. She has mostly sung Sufi songs. She is popularly known as "Koil of Sindh" (Cuckoo of Sindh) and "Bulbul of Sindh" (Nightingale of Sindh). Early life. Rubina was born on 19 October 1940 in Hyderabad, Sindh, Pakistan. Her real name was Aisha Shaikh and her father's name was Illahi  Bux Shaikh. Though, she did not belong to a typical singer's family, her brother Abdul Ghafoor Shaikh was a local singer. She started singing in school functions and events when she was studying in a primary school. Renowned Educationist and Musician Dadi Leela Wati encouraged and inspired her for singing. On 17 August 1955, Radio Pakistan Hyderabad was established. The administration of this newly established Radio Station wrote letter to all major schools of Hyderabad for introducing talented boys and girls on the Radio. Rubeena was studying in class IX, when she gave audition at Radio Pakistan Hyderbabd as  a child singer. Famous broadcaster M.B. Ansari and renowned musician and singer Master Muhammad Ibrahim took her audition. She passed audition in the first attempt. Her first Sindhi song recorded for Radio was "Paren pawadee san, chawandi san, rahi waj rat bhanbhor men" (پيرين پوندي سان چوندي سان، رهي وڃ رات ڀنڀور ۾). This song became very popular among the radio listeners and she became popular all over the Sindh. Along with her singing career, she studied at the University of Sindh and received the Master of Arts degree in Muslim History. She served as a High School teacher in  the Himat-ul-Islam Girls High School Hyderabad in 1967–68. Contributions. Radio Pakistan Hyderabad recorded hundreds of songs of Sufi poets including Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai, Sachal Sarmast, Budhal Faqir, Manthar Faqir and others in her voice. She also sang many marriage songs called "Sahera" along with her fellow singers Zarina Baloch, Amina and Zeb-un-Nissa. These sehra are still popular in all over Sindh. She also sang as a playback singer of some Sindhi films including Ghoonghat Lah Kunwar (گهونگهٽ لاھ ڪنوار) and Sassi Punhoon (سسئي پنهون). After her marriage with famous Film and TV actor Mustafa Qureshi  in 1970, she shifted to Lahore with her husband. In Lahore she got music lessons from Ustad Chhottay Ghulam Ali. In Lahore, she also sang in Urdu, Punjabi, Seraiki, Pushto and Bangali. She has also performed in Indonesia, China, Turkey, India, United Kingdom and United States of America Rubina Qureshi is also a social worker. She has played a leading role in the Blind Welfare Association (Ladies Wing) of Pakistan. As a recognition of her services for Sufi music, she was awarded "Qalender Shahbaz" and "Khuwaja Ghulam Fareed" award. She has also received award from Radio Pakistan Hyderabad (2012). The  Government of Pakistan has announced Tamgha-i-Imtiaz for her on 14th August 2021. Famous songs. Rubina has sung hundreds of songs. Most of these songs are available in the music library of Radio Pakistan Hyderabad. An incomplete list of her most popular songs is presented below in alphabetical order: