Rukhshana
- December 20, 2020
- 80 years
About Rukhshana
Rukhshana, 80, Afghan singer.
Explore other notable deaths in 2020 or deaths in December 2020.
The Deaths Archive presents
How well do you know Rukhshana?
Explore their life. Test your knowledge. Beat the challenge.
10 questions · One legacy · How much do you really know?
Challenge your friends
Play together in real-time.
Advertisement
Full Biography
|Hamida Assil (c. January 1, 1940 – December 20, 2020), better known as Rukhshana, was an Afghan singer. Referred to as one of the first Afghan female singers, she earned her recognition during the 1950s and 1970s.
Biography
Rukhshana (born as Hamida) was born in Kabul, the daughter of Assil Khan Waziri, a four star general in the Afghan Army. She belonged to the Pashtun Wazir tribe. Their family were originally from the southern parts of Afghanistan and later migrated to Kabul. She is credited with being the first Afghan woman to remove the chador to pursue her career. She performed for royalty, celebrities, and films (e.g. Shah of Iran, Czech Republic, Gandhi, Lance Armstrong).
At the height of her popularity in the 1950s and 1960s, Rukhshana's posters were widely distributed in Kabul, and her photos graced countless covers of calendars and magazines. She had a wider fan base over other singers as she was bilingual and could reach a larger segment of Afghan society. Her music includes songs both in Pashto, her native tongue, and Dari language. She gave an interview with BBC London and allowed her photographs to appear in a newspaper.
She resided in Simi Valley before she died on December 20, 2020.
Content from Wikipedia — licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0
Interactive
Test Your Knowledge – Trivia Challenge
How well do you know this person's life and legacy?
No account needed to play. Sign in to keep your score on the leaderboard.
Books & Media
Find books, audiobooks and films about Rukhshana on Amazon.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates.
Sources
- Wikipedia
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rukhshana
- CC BY-SA 4.0
- Sep 26, 2026
- View article
- Sep 26, 2026
Trivia & Knowledge· 16 questions
Questions drawn from Rukhshana's archived record and the sources above.
1.What was the birth name of the Afghan singer known as Rukhshana?
- A.Assil Khan
- B.Pashtun Wazir
- C.Hamida Assilcorrect
- D.Rukhshana Waziri
Rukhshana was born as Hamida Assil.
Source: biography header and text
2.In which city was Rukhshana born?
- A.Kabulcorrect
- B.Simi Valley
- C.London
- D.Kandahar
Rukhshana was born in Kabul.
Source: biography section
3.What was the profession of Rukhshana's father, Assil Khan Waziri?
- A.Four star general in the Afghan Armycorrect
- B.Afghan journalist
- C.Famous Pashtun musician
- D.Diplomat to the Czech Republic
Rukhshana was the daughter of Assil Khan Waziri, a four star general in the Afghan Army.
Source: biography section
4.To which tribe did Rukhshana belong?
- A.The Kabul nomad tribe
- B.The Dari tribe
- C.The Waziri tribe
- D.The Pashtun Wazir tribecorrect
Rukhshana belonged to the Pashtun Wazir tribe.
Source: biography section
5.What symbolic act is Rukhshana credited with to pursue her career?
- A.Publishing a book of poetry
- B.Removing the chadorcorrect
- C.Moving to London
- D.Joining the military
Rukhshana is credited with being the first Afghan woman to remove the chador to pursue her career.
Source: biography section
6.During which decades did Rukhshana primarily earn her recognition as an Afghan singer?
- A.1960s and 1980s
- B.1950s and 1970scorrect
- C.1980s and 1990s
- D.1940s and 1950s
Rukhshana earned her recognition during the 1950s and 1970s.
Source: biography header
7.Rukhshana was able to reach a larger segment of Afghan society because she was?
- A.A member of royalty
- B.A trained actress
- C.Fluent in English
- D.Bilingualcorrect
Rukhshana had a wider fan base over other singers as she was bilingual and could reach a larger segment of Afghan society.
Source: biography section
8.Which two languages did Rukhshana use for her music?
- A.English and Pashto
- B.Dari and English
- C.Persian and Hindi
- D.Pashto and Daricorrect
Rukhshana's music includes songs both in Pashto, her native tongue, and Dari language.
Source: biography section
9.Which of the following people or entities is mentioned as having seen a performance by Rukhshana?
- A.The Queen of England
- B.The Prime Minister of India
- C.The Shah of Irancorrect
- D.The President of the United States
Rukhshana performed for royalty and celebrities including the Shah of Iran.
Source: biography section
10.What items frequently featured photographs of Rukhshana during the 1950s and 1960s?
- A.Postage stamps and coins
- B.Calendars and magazinescorrect
- C.School textbooks and maps
- D.Political posters and flyers
Rukhshana's photos graced countless covers of calendars and magazines during the height of her popularity.
Source: biography section
11.Where did Rukhshana reside before her death?
- A.Tehran
- B.Kabul
- C.Simi Valleycorrect
- D.London
Rukhshana resided in Simi Valley before she died.
Source: biography section
12.On what date did Rukhshana pass away?
- A.December 20, 2020correct
- B.December 20, 2015
- C.January 1, 2010
- D.January 1, 2020
Rukhshana died on December 20, 2020.
Source: biography header
13.Which media organization did Rukhshana provide an interview to?
- A.The New York Times
- B.BBC Londoncorrect
- C.Radio Kabul
- D.Afghan National News
Rukhshana gave an interview with BBC London.
Source: biography section
14.Which of these is an individual Rukhshana is specifically noted to have performed for in the text?
- A.Lance Armstrongcorrect
- B.The Afghan King
- C.The Czech President
- D.Mahatma Gandhi
The biography lists Lance Armstrong as an example of a celebrity for whom Rukhshana performed.
Source: biography section
15.Where did the family of Rukhshana originate before migrating to Kabul?
- A.The southern parts of Afghanistancorrect
- B.The northern parts of Afghanistan
- C.The western borders of Iran
- D.The mountainous regions of Pakistan
Rukhshana's family were originally from the southern parts of Afghanistan and later migrated to Kabul.
Source: biography section
16.How old was Rukhshana at the time of her death?
- A.75
- B.80correct
- C.70
- D.85
The text states that Rukhshana was 80 at the time of her death.
Source: biography header
People who died on December 20
Spotted an error?
Help us keep the archive accurate. Report a correction with a source.
Report an error for Rukhshana →Advertisement
