Ameen Sayani’s journey commenced in the nascent years of Indian radio. Born in 1932 in Mumbai, Sayani’s passion for broadcasting was ignited early. His career soared when he became the host of the iconic radio show “Binaca Geetmala” in 1952, which soon became synonymous with his name. The nonagenarian broadcaster passed away on February 20, 2024, after suffering a heart attack.
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> He was born in a family with a cultural bent of mind. His mother used to run a newsletter called Rehbar. His brother Hamid Sayani was an eminent English broadcaster himself.
> Ameen Sayani began his stint with Radio Ceylon in 1952. His career spanned over six decades, producing and presenting over 54,000 radio programs and 19,000 voice-overs for various advertisements and jingles.
> He also dabbled in acting, appearing in various films like Bhoot Bungla, Teen Devian, Boxer, and Qatl, often portraying an announcer.
> He was the voice behind the Bournvita Quiz Contest when it was broadcast on radio. Due to his contribution in popularising quizzing in its early years in India, he was awarded the ‘Scroll of Honour‘ at the 6th season of Kolkata International Quiz Festival (then KQF) in 2017, an honour also bestowed upon iconic luminaries like Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, Neil O’Brien, among others.