Beloved radio presenter Ameen Sayani has died at 91, he was a household name in India

The beloved radio presenter Ameen Sayani has passed away from a heart attack in Mumbai at the age of 91. The news was confirmed by his son Rajil Sayani. 

Variety reported that “Sayani’s journey to radio superstardom began not on AIR (All India Radio), but on neighbouring Radio Ceylon. In 1952, Balakrishna Vishwanath Keskar was appointed by Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru as India’s Information and Broadcasting Minister. Keskar was not enamoured of Hindi-language film songs as he was on a drive to promote Indian classical music. After initially restricting airtime for Hindi songs to a 10 per cent quota, he banned them from AIR altogether.”

Ameen Sayani was most certainly both a household name and a beloved radio presenter in India as he compered some 58,000 radio programs and voiced 19,000 radio spots and jingles. As expected, tributes have been pouring in for Ameen. The Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that “Shri Ameen Sayani Ji’s golden voice on the airwaves had a charm and warmth that endeared him to people across generations. Through his work, he played an important role in revolutionising Indian broadcasting and nurtured a very special bond with his listeners. Saddened by his passing away. Condolences to his family, admirers and all radio lovers. May his soul rest in peace.”

The Times of India has described Ameen as a man who “needs no introduction.” It also reported that “the renowned and legendary radio host, who has indeed given a different twist to the profession with his unique way of presenting radio shows, will forever be remembered for his contributions.”