Iconic radio presenter Ameen Sayani, known for his famous show “Binaca Geet Mala,” passed away at the age of 91 on Tuesday after a heart attack.
Born in 1932, Sayani began his journey by helping his mother, Kulsum Sayani, edit the fortnightly journal “Rahber.” His brother, Hamid Sayani, was also a well-known English broadcaster. Sayani started his career with Radio Ceylon in 1951.
His celebrated show, “Binaca Geetmala,” started as a 30-minute program on Radio Ceylon and became hugely popular in the 1950s. The show went through various name changes like Binaca Geetmala, Hit Parade, and Cibaca Geetmala. Ameen Sayani hosted the program from 1952 to 1994, and it saw a revival in the early 2000s.
Sayani, known for his prolific voiceover work, set records by hosting and compering over 54,000 radio programs. He also contributed to around 19,000 jingles, earning him a place in the Limca Book of Records. The passing of this radio legend marks the end of an era in the history of Indian broadcasting.