Being RadioActive

“Sumiit! Wake up! You’ll be late for your show!” I jump up with a start on hearing my mother. The digital display of my alarm reads 7:49. I curse, and jump out of bed. I must have slept through the alarm ringing at 7. I crane my head out of the window to see if the sky is overcast. Although it is mid-November and the monsoon has officially retreated, we have been troubled by sudden downpours during the last 2 days. But luckily, the clouds are sparse and the sun shines brightly.

I race to the University of Mumbai’s Community Radio Station, Radio M.U.S.T. (Mumbai University Student’s Transmission). I am a part time radio jockey with them, hosting a weekly radio show on Thursdays from 9 am to 1 pm.

Luckily, there’s an empty spot just in front of the Radio Station building and I proclaim my thanks to all known gods and goddesses as I park my Renault Logan. I race up the 3 floors to the studio, taking the steps 2 at a time. I burst into the studio as the hour hand on the wall clock comes to rests on 9. Clumsily placing the headphones on my ears, I switch the microphone on, and start my show.

“Namaste, Sat sri akaal, As salamu alaykum, kem chho, kassa kai, Hello Hi. My name is Sumiit and you’re listening to 107.8 FM Radio M.U.S.T., Mumbai University’s very own community radio. There’s no need to carry your umbrella today as the sun is shining brightly, and the weather department is forecasting a bright and sunny day with a maximum temperature of 33 degrees and a minimum of 26 degrees Celsius. I’ll be back with some stock updates, but till then you guys enjoy this song”

I flick the microphone switch to ‘off’, and let out a loud breath, as the first notes of the song start to play. As my heartbeats return to their normal pace, I wipe the beads of perspiration off my brow. Ironically, my first time in a recording studio had a similar kind of effect on me. A chuckle escapes from my mouth as my mind begins to wander.

“Are you ready?”, she asked. I looked up and nodded while trying to muster up a smile. This was RJ Malini, one of the city’s finest RJs, and she was going to take my audition. I had met Malini at a common friend’s party a week ago, and had expressed my interest in becoming a RJ. An opening had come up at her radio station for the 12 am to 2am slot, and so there I was, getting ready to audition.

I had never been in a studio before, and my only knowledge about radio jockeying was from what I heard on the 6 radio stations in Mumbai. Malini led me to the studio and introduced me to the sound engineer, Vijay, who was sitting in front of a machine, which at that point I could only identify as “the one with too many volume control sliders”.

I was directed to the recording studio. In the studio, I sat down in front of the microphone, having no idea what else to do – hoping that maybe the microphone would be kind enough to make sure that I sounded good during the audition. My prayer to the microphone God was interrupted by Vijay frantically waving at me through a window on my left. He gestured for me to put on the headphones lying on the table. I sheepishly obeyed. Over the headphones, he told me that the computer was recording and that I should start whenever I was ready.

The audition didn’t go well – I was too nervous and made too many mistakes. At the end of it, I walked out of the studio with my head down, mumbled a ‘thank you’ to Malini and Vijay and sought the quickest way out.

The dip in volume as the song fades out, stirs me out of my daydreaming. That dark cloud did have its silver lining. Shortly after the audition, I signed up for a Radio Jockey course which taught me all that I needed to know about the profession. It’s been 2 years hence and my patience, hard work and will to become a RJ have led me to where I currently am.

I recollect reading a saying by a famous personality; something on the lines of using your failures as stepping stones to success. My lips turn upwards in a slow grin as I switch the microphone on.