Rashid Ahmad Khan
Rashid Ahmad Khan is a Pashto singer, poet, musicologist, and rights activist. In December 2022, Khan completed his PhD at the University of Peshawar's Pashto Department, becoming the first person to complete a PhD thesis on the subject of Pashto folk music.
Rashid Khan hails from the Khan family of Jhanda village in Swabi District. Jhanda's history dates back to the early 1800s, when Maiz Ullah Khan, a Pashtun leader from the Yusufzai tribe, entrusted the area to his sons, Khan Bahadur Khan and Fateh Khan. Since then, the village has remained predominantly under the stewardship of the same Khan family, spanning seven generations. Notable figures from Khan's family include Bushra Gohar and Sitara Ayaz who are politicians of Pakistan.
Khan gained his early education at his hometown Swabi. He then went on to attend University of Peshawar, where he completed his MPhil in Pashto before embarking on his doctoral research.
Career
Khan is the president of Hunari Tolana Welfare Society, an NGO dedicated to the welfare of artists. Under his leadership, the organization has been instrumental in advocating for the rights and protection of both local and Afghan artists, especially in challenging times. He also works as Director of Angaze Music Production which runs under Bacha Khan Trust.