Ameen Sayani Age, Death, Wife, Children, Family, Biography & More

Bio/Wiki
Profession	Radio Announcer
Famous For	Presenting hit radio show, "Binaca Geetmala"
Physical Stats & More
Height (approx.)	in centimeters- 170 cm in meters- 1.70 m in feet inches- 5’ 7”
Eye Colour	Light Brown
Hair Colour	Salt & Pepper
Career
National Radio Shows	• Cibaca Geetmala (formerly Binaca Geetmala): Since 1952, this show was aired over Radio Ceylon and Vividh Bharati (AIR) for almost 42 years. After a 4 years gap, the show was again revived and aired over Vividh Bharati as Colgate Cibaca Geetmala for 2 years. • S. Kumar Ka Filmy Muqaddama and Filmi Mulaqaat: The show was famous on Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation and then Vividh Bharati for almost 7 years. • Saridon Ke Saathi: This was the first sponsored show of AIR. He presented the show for 4 years. • Bournvita Quiz Contest (in English): He took over the show in 1975, after the death of his guru and elder brother, Hamid Sayani. • Shalimar Superlac Jodi: He compered this show for 7 years. • Maratha Darbar Shows: He presented several shows including Sitaron Ki Pasand, Mehekti Baatein, and Chamktay Sitary for 14 years. • Sangeet Kay Sitaron Ki Mehfil: The format of this show comprises music career sketches and interviews of well-known singers, lyricists, and composers. He compered the show for 4 years, which was aired on several radio stations in India as well as abroad for their commercial customers. • Swanaash: This was a 13-episode radio series, commissioned by AIR, based on HIV/AIDS cases, including interviews with prestigious social workers and doctors.
International Radio Shows	• Mini Insertions of Filmstar Interviews: He presented almost 35 installments of this British Broadcasting Corporation's show in the UK. • Music For The Millions: He presented 6 episodes of the shoe for the BBC's World Service Radio. • Veetee Ka Hungama: Presented this show over Sunrise Radio in London for almost 4 and a half years. • Geetmala Ki Yaaden: For 4 years, over Radio Ummul Quwain, UAE. • Ye Bhi Changa Wo Bhi Khoob: Compered for 8 months, over Radio Asia, UAE. • Sangeet Paheli: Presented for 1 year, over Radio Truro, Swaziland. • Hangamay: Presented for 2 and a half years, over different ethnic radio channels in Toronto, Houston, Washington, Boston, San Francisco, etc.
Awards, Honours, Achievements	• Gold Medal from Indian Society Of Advertisers (ISA) (1991) • Person of The Year Award by Limca Book Of Records (1992) • Hall of Fame Award from Indian Academy Of Advertising Film Art (IAAFA) (1993) • Golden Abby by Advertising Club, Bombay for the Outstanding Radio Campaign of the Century – Binaca/Cibaca Geetmala (2000) • Kaan Hall Of Fame Award from Radio Mirchi (2003) • Living Legend Award from Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI) (2006) • Hindi Ratna Puraskar by Hindi Bhavan of New Delhi (2007) • Padma Shri Award (2009) • Lifetime Achievement Award at the 19th Hira Manek Award (2016)
Personal Life
Date of Birth	21 December 1932 (Wednesday)
Age (at the time of death)	91 Years
Birthplace	Gwalior, British India
Date of Death	20 February 2024
Place of Death	Mumbai
Death Cause	Heart Attack [1]The Indian Express
Zodiac sign/Sun sign	Sagittarius
Signature
Nationality	Indian
Hometown	Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
School	Scindia School Gwalior
College/University	St. Xavier's College
Educational Qualification	Graduate
Religion	Islam
Food Habit	Not Known
Hobbies	Writing, Reading, Listening to Music, Singing
Relationships & More
Marital Status	Widower
Family
Wife/Spouse	Late Rama Muttu
Children	Son- Rajil Sayani Daughter- None
Parents	Father- Late Jan Mohamed Sayani (Physician) Mother- Late Kulsum Sayani (Social Activist)
Siblings	Brother- Hamid Sayani (Elder) (Radio Jockey) Sister- Not Known
Favourite Things
Favourite Actor	Amitabh Bachchan
Favourite Actress	Meena Kumari
Favourite Colour(s)	Black, Brown
Favourite Singer(s)	Kishore Kumar, Asha Bhosle

Some Lesser Known Facts About Ameen Sayani

• His mother was a social activist. From his childhood, Ameen Sayani used to help his mother in all the activities related to journal (Rehber) editing, printing, and publishing from 1940 to 1960.

• At the age of 8, his brother, Hamid Sayani took him to the English section of AIR (All India Radio), Mumbai station. Later, he began his career as a Radio Announcer for English programmes and became a popular broadcaster in English.

• Later, he decided to broadcast in Hindi and was given a chance by Radio Ceylon for the same. In an interview, he stated that
  

  “When Mahatma Gandhi passed away (in 1948), I was totally broken, because he was very close to our family. So I told myself that I am naye bharat ka naya naujawan, and I will now broadcast in Hindi. Unfortunately, I didn’t know Hindi and Urdu too well. When I returned to Mumbai, I told AIR in Mumbai that I wanted to broadcast in Hindi.”

• For his very first programme of Geetmala on Radio Ceylon, he received almost 9,000 appreciation letters all across the country. With his characteristic voice, he became a household name, and also helped AIR to popularize in India.
  

  Ameen Sayani in an Interview

• His polite style of addressing the crowd with “Behno Aur Bhaiyo” is still treated as the most melodious announcement in Radio history.

• He also appeared as an announcer in several movies including Bhoot Bungla, Boxer, Teen Devian, Qatl, and others.

• In the late 1950s or early 1960s, a young man came to his office for an audition, but due to his busy schedule, Ameen couldn’t see him. This young man was none other than Bollywood legend actor Amitabh Bachchan.
  

  Ameen Sayani and Amitabh Bachchan

• From 1960 to 1962, he also worked in the Marketing Department of Tata Oil Mills Limited as a Brand Executive, mainly for toilet soaps: Jai and Hamam.

• He was the first person who initiated the export of Indian radio shows and commercials in 1976. He exported to USA, Canada, England, UAE, Swaziland, Mauritius, South Africa, Fiji, and New Zealand.

• He produced and compered over 54,000 radio programmes and 19,000 spots/jingles since 1951 in India as well as abroad.

• In 2016, after a sabbatical, he announced the promo of Akshay Kumar starrer film, “Rustom.”