Rubina Qureshi (1940-2022) *81

was a Sindhi folk singer from Pakistan. Rubina was born on 19 October 1940 in Hyderabad, Sindh, British Raj (now Pakistan). Her maiden 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. 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 Hyderabad as a child singer. Broadcaster M.B. Ansari and 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" (Sindhi: پيرين پوندي سان چوندي سان، رهي وڃ رات ڀنڀور ۾). 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.