Princess India of Afghanistan

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Princess India
Princess India d'Afghanistan.jpg
India during an interview in 2019
Born (1929-06-07) 7 June 1929 (age 92)
Bombay, Bombay Presidency, British India
Spouse
Kazem Agha Malek
​
​
(m. 1951; div. 1956)​

Dr. Abdul Rauf Haider
​
​
(m. 1966)​
IssueSoraya Malek
Hamdam Malek
Iskandar Rauf Haider
Names
Hindia Multan Begum
FatherAmanullah Khan
MotherSoraya Tarzi
ReligionIslam

Princess India of Afghanistan (Pashto/Dari: شاهدخت اندیا Shahdukht Hindia, Italian: Principessa India d'Afghanistan; born 7 June 1929) is the youngest daughter of Amanullah Khan and Soraya Tarzi, who were respectively King and Queen of Afghanistan in the 1920s. She holds the title of princess of the royal house of Mohammadzai-Tarzi.

Princess India was born in Bombay, British India, five months after her father's abdication on 14 January 1929 and named in honor of the country they fled to exile. After an invitation by Queen Elena of Italy, the family eventually settled in Rome, where the princess grew up and continues to make her home.[1]

She was educated at Pension Marie-José, Gstaad, Switzerland, and Pontifical Gregorian University, Rome, Italy.

India visited Afghanistan for the first time in 1968, and started charity work for Afghan children seeking aid.[2]

In the 2000s, Princess India formed the Mahmud Tarzi Cultural Foundation (MTCF) in Kabul, where she serves as vice chairman as of 2010.[3] In 2006, Princess India was appointed Cultural Ambassador to Europe by the Afghan President, Hamid Karzai. She spends her time between Rome and Kabul[4] and holds lectures at conferences throughout Europe.[5]

In August 2019, Princess India was invited by the Afghan government to take part in the state's celebrations for Afghanistan's 100th anniversary of independence.[1]

Personal life[]

Princess India has been married twice and has two daughters (from the first marriage) and a son (from the second marriage).[2]

Princess India thinks of her mother as a positive figure in contemporary Afghanistan, calling her achievements "highly regarded by Afghans", and adding her speeches of "how she encouraged Afghan women to become independent, to learn how to read and write."[6] Regarding women's rights in Afghanistan, India thinks that more education is needed for Afghan men to improve the situation.[7] She also said of the burqa that it is "not an Afghan garment and is not even an Islamic garment".[8]

In September 2011, Princess India of Afghanistan was honored by the Afghan-American Women Association for her work in women's rights.[9] In 2012, Radio Azadi named her "Person of the Year" for her humanitarian work.[10]

Title and style[]

  • Her Royal Highness Princess India of Afghanistan.[3]

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ a b "Afghanistan Independence Day — DW talks to Afghan princess in exile | DW | 19.08.2019". DW.COM.
  2. ^ a b "Princess Wants to Win Afghan Hearts". Institute for War and Peace Reporting.
  3. ^ a b "Afghanistan, Issues at stake and Viable Solutions: An Interview with H.R.H. Princess India of Afghanistan » Journal of South Asia Women Studies Vol. 12 No. 1 » Asiatica Association". asiatica.org.
  4. ^ "HRH Princess India of Afghanistan | The Cambridge Union". cus.org.
  5. ^ Torsello, Kash Gabriele (September 3, 2013). "Kash & Shabana, between Rome and Kabul".
  6. ^ Goudsouzian, Tanya. "Afghan first lady in shadow of 1920s queen?". www.aljazeera.com.
  7. ^ "Meeting Afghanistan's 'invisible' first lady". March 8, 2013 – via www.bbc.co.uk.
  8. ^ "La Principessa India ci racconta il "suo" Afghanistan". WorldWebNews.it. November 4, 2011.
  9. ^ "Afghan-American Women Association honor Princess India D'Afghanistan" (PDF). Afghan-American Women Association. September 2011. Retrieved 22 November 2013.
  10. ^ "Radio Azadi Names Hindia d'Afghanistan 'Person Of The Year'". RFE/RL.

External links[]

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