Some Great South Asian Women

Guest Column : : New England Gurru: "Abida Parveen was born in Larkana, Sindh, Pakistan, where her father, Ghulam Haider, ran a music school. Though women in Muslim society are rarely encouraged to pursue musical (or other performance) careers, her father recognized his daughter�s extraordinary talent at an early age and encouraged her to sing. Her career crystallized after her marriage to the late Ghulam Hussain Sheikh, a senior producer in Radio Pakistan who became her mentor. She studied classical vocal music with Salamat Ali Khan, who, like Abida Parveen, has appeared previously at the Freer and Sackler Galleries. She has performed in a wide range of venues both sacred and secular, from the shrines of saints in her native Sindh to the world�s greatest concert halls."