Pakistani singer Salma Agha given Indian overseas citizenship

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Salma Agha is maternal granddaughter of noted Indian actor Jugal Kishore Mehra and her mother Nasreen was the heroine of  the 1946 film Shahjehan, opposite K L Saigal

The Canadian Bazaar

Singer actress Salma Agha, who was born in Pakistan and is now a British citizen, has been Indian oversees citizenship by the Indian government.

This entitles her to Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) card.

The 59-year-old Agha has sung for many Bollywood films and won Filmfare best female playback award in 1982 for her song ‘Dil Ke armaan aansuon me beh gaye’ in  the film ‘Nikaah’.

The OCI card is given to anyone who is a child, grandchild or a great grandchild of Indian citizen. But no Pakistani or Bangladeshi whose parents, grandparents or great grandparents were or are Indian citizen is eligible for an OCI card.

Agha has been granted the OCI card because her maternal grandfather was noted Indian actor Jugal Kishore Mehra. Mehra’s wife  famous singer Anwari Begum was Salma Agha’s grandmother. Agha’s mother Nasreen was also the heroine of  the 1946 film Shahjehan,  opposite K L Saigal.

Agha had requested the Indian government to take her Indian roots into consideration in granting her an OCI card.

India also granted citizenship to Pakistani British singer Adnan Sami in January.

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