Sakeena Rather, an announcer, anchor, broadcaster, and radio personality, was born and raised in Raj Bagh, Srinagar, Kashmir.
Sakeena Rather, an announcer, anchor, broadcaster, and radio personality, was born and raised in Raj Bagh, Srinagar, Kashmir. She hails from a well-known and educated family. Her passion for radio broadcasting began during her school days, when she would eagerly listen to Radio Kashmir and Vividh Bharati (AIR) programs.
In 1994, while studying in Class 11, she delivered her first talk on “Information Explosion” on Yuva Vani Srinagar, a youth-oriented branch of Radio Kashmir. It was during this experience that she fell in love with the world of sound waves and the microphone. She continued to contribute to Yuva Vani by presenting various talks on education, science, culture, and entertainment. One of her notable engagements was hosting the phone-in show “Hello Yuva Vani”, which helped her develop strong broadcasting and writing skills.
In 1998, while studying at Women’s College, MA Road, she applied for and qualified in an audition at Radio Kashmir Srinagar. Under the mentorship of senior broadcaster Mr. Siraj Meerani, she learned the essentials of voice modulation, accent, narration, and program presentation. Her debut show as an announcer was “Fauji Bhaiyon Ke Liye”, a film songs-based program, which received a warm response from listeners.
In 2003, she joined CBS Srinagar as an announcer, where she anchored and hosted several popular shows, including the morning show “Abhi Abhi” and the infotainment program “Sabras”, which became a hit under the direction of Dr. Rafiq Masoodi. She also lent her voice to various radio commercials.
During the devastating 2005 earthquake in Kashmir, she played a crucial role in the success of the emergency response show “FM Helpline”, launched under the leadership of Late Mr. Ashraf Sahil. The program became widely popular and solidified her as a household name in J&K.
In the 2014 floods, when Radio Kashmir operated from a temporary studio at Narbal transmitter, she served with exceptional dedication under the supervision of Syed Humayun Qaiser, earning immense appreciation from the public and radio authorities alike.
From 2006 to 2018, she had the honor of anchoring “JK Bank Diary”, one of J&K Bank’s most celebrated sponsored programs, for over 13 years.
Some of her most loved radio programs include:
- Payam-e-Subh
- Hello Aap Ki Farmaish
- Phulyiwen
- Tuhenz Farmaish
- Rang Barang
- Husn-e-Ghazal
- Filmi Gupshup
Sakeena credits her parents—especially her father—as a source of unwavering support and inspiration. She also appreciates the encouragement of her husband in pursuing her passion.
Her message to young aspirants:
“Follow your passion and instincts. Do what you enjoy, trust your gut, and stay committed to your craft.”
She expresses deep gratitude to her listeners for their continued love and support, as well as to her mentors and colleagues, including:
Mr. Bashir Arif, Syed Humayun Qaiser, Mr. Rafiq Masoodi, Late Ashraf Sahil, Rabia Rasool, Siraj Meerani, Dr. Satish Vimal, Ghulam Rasool Akhoon, Ashfaq Lone, Abdal Mahjoor, Talha Jahangir Rehmani, Shamshad Kralwari, Javed Sofi, Mehraj ud Din Ahmad, Wajih Meerani, Mohd Hussain Zaffer, Rashid Nizami, and Ab Rehman Bhat Sahib.
Each of them, she says, not only inspired and guided her but also respected her journey in radio broadcasting.
Courtesy :Kashmir Treasure
Support Independent and Free Journalism
NoukeQalam is an independent journalistic platform. To avoid vulgar ads, we’ve disabled Google ads. Your support helps us sustain quality, unbiased content. Contribute daily, weekly, or monthly to keep us going. Thank you!
