Princess India of Afghanistan
{{Short description|Afghan royal (1929–2023)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2022}}
{{EngvarB|date=June 2022}}
{{Infobox royalty
| name = Princess India
| image = Princess India d'Afghanistan.jpg
| caption = India during an interview in 2019
| full name = Hindia Multan Begum
| spouse = {{marriage|Kazem Agha Malek|1951|1956|reason=div}}
{{marriage|Dr. Abdul Rauf Haider|1966}}
| issue = Soraya Malek
Hamdam Malek
Iskandar Rauf Haider
| house = Mohammadzai-Tarzi
| father = Amanullah Khan
| mother = Soraya Tarzi
| birth_date = {{birth date|df=y|1929|06|07}}
| birth_place = Bombay, Bombay Presidency, British India
| death_date = {{death date and age|df=y|2023|10|13|1929|06|07}}
| death_place = Rome, Italy
}}
Princess India of Afghanistan (Pashto/{{langx|prs|شاهدخت اندیا}} Shahdukht India, {{langx|it|Principessa India d'Afghanistan}}; 7 June 1929 – 13 October 2023) was an Afghan royal. She was the youngest daughter of Emeritus King of Afghanistan Amanullah Khan and Queen consort Soraya Tarzi. She held 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 continued to make her home.{{Cite news|url=https://www.dw.com/en/afghanistan-independence-day-dw-talks-to-afghan-princess-in-exile/av-50074356|title=Afghanistan Independence Day — DW talks to Afghan princess in exile|publisher=Deutsche Welle|language=en|date=19 August 2019|accessdate=23 June 2022}}
India was educated at Pension Marie-José, Gstaad, Switzerland, and Pontifical Gregorian University, Rome, Italy.{{cn|date=October 2023}}
India visited Afghanistan for the first time in 1968, and started charity work for Afghan children seeking aid.{{Cite web|url=https://iwpr.net/global-voices/princess-wants-win-afghan-hearts|title=Princess Wants to Win Afghan Hearts|website=Institute for War and Peace Reporting}}
In the 2000s, Princess India formed the Mahmud Tarzi Cultural Foundation (MTCF) in Kabul, where she served as vice chairman as of 2010.{{Cite web|url=http://asiatica.org/jsaws/12-1/afghanistan-issues-stake-and-viable-solutions-interview-hrh-princess-india-afghanistan/|title=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|website=asiatica.org}} In 2006, Princess India was appointed Cultural Ambassador to Europe by the Afghan President, Hamid Karzai. She spent her time between Rome and Kabul before the Taliban takeover of 2021{{Cite web|url=https://cus.org/civicrm/event/info?reset=1&id=1727|title=HRH Princess India of Afghanistan | The Cambridge Union|website=cus.org}} and held lectures at conferences throughout Europe.{{Cite web|url=https://kashkidnapped.com/2013/09/03/kash-shabana-between-rome-and-kabul/|title=Kash & Shabana, between Rome and Kabul|first=Kash Gabriele|last=Torsello|work=Kash Kidnapped |date=September 3, 2013}}
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.
Personal life
Princess India was married twice and had two daughters (from the first marriage) and a son (from the second marriage).
Princess India thought 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."{{Cite web|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/asia/2014/09/afghan-first-lady-shadow-1920s-queen-2014930142515254965.html|title=Afghan first lady in shadow of 1920s queen?|first=Tanya|last=Goudsouzian|website=www.aljazeera.com}} Regarding women's rights in Afghanistan, India thought that more education is needed for Afghan men to improve the situation.{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-21699353|title=Meeting Afghanistan's 'invisible' first lady|work=BBC News|date=March 8, 2013}} She also said of the burqa that it is "not an Afghan garment and is not even an Islamic garment".{{Cite web|url=http://www.worldwebnews.it/la-principessa-india-ci-racconta-il-suo-afghanistan/|title=La Principessa India ci racconta il "suo" Afghanistan|date=November 4, 2011|website=WorldWebNews.it}}
In September 2011, Princess India of Afghanistan was honored by the Afghan-American Women Association for her work in women's rights.{{cite web | url=http://a-awa.org/pdf/A_AWAs_Newsletter_Summer_2012.pdf | title=Afghan-American Women Association honor Princess India D'Afghanistan | publisher=Afghan-American Women Association | date=September 2011 | accessdate=22 November 2013}} In 2012, Radio Azadi named her "Person of the Year" for her humanitarian work.{{Cite web|url=https://pressroom.rferl.org/a/press_release_radio_azadi_person_of_the_year/24521879.html|title=Radio Azadi Names Hindia d'Afghanistan 'Person Of The Year'|website=RFE/RL|date=20 March 2012 }}
Princess India of Afghanistan died on 13 October 2023, at the age of 94.{{Cite web |last=MENAFN |title=Princes India, Daughter Of King Amanullah Khan, Passes Away In Rome |url=https://menafn.com/1107240982/Princes-India-Daughter-Of-King-Amanullah-Khan-Passes-Away-In-Rome |access-date=2023-10-14 |website=menafn.com |language=en}} One year after in September 2024 in Italy is published
See also
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [http://asiatica.org/jsaws/12-1/afghanistan-issues-stake-and-viable-solutions-interview-hrh-princess-india-afghanistan/ Afghanistan, Issues at stake and Viable Solutions: An Interview with H.R.H. Princess India of Afghanistan], by Enrica Garzilli, in [http://asiatica.org/ Journal of South Asia Women Studies], January 2010.
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{{DEFAULTSORT:India, Princess of Afghanistan}}