Jamshedpur, Dec. 26: Abhisekh, Randeep and Smita need no introduction to residents of Jamshedpur. It’s their voice people get to hear when they tune in on Big 92.7, the city’s first FM radio channel.

It is with them people start their days with Big Chai and make us say Hello Zindagi in the afternoons.

As they bond with the listeners, sharing their stories and anecdotes, each of them have interesting stories of their own, too.

Abhishek and Smita are from Jamshedpur, while Randeep, who was formerly a RJ with Red FM in Calcutta, moved to Jamshedpur just two months ago.

“I am a former student of Vidya Bharti Chinmaya Vidyalaya in Telco. I moved to Calcutta for my graduation and diploma in advertising. I was working with an advertising agency when I learnt that private FM channels are coming to Jamshedpur. I applied and the rest just fell in place,” said Abhisekh, who hosts the three-hour city specific show Jeeyo Jamshedpur.

His colleague Smita, while busy airing popular songs, has been climbing the popularity charts herself. A former student of St Joseph’s School in Golmuri, she was also a former newsreader with Doordarshan, Ranchi.

“This is my first stint with radio but I am enjoying it. Through my show I get to connect with the housewives and the common men on streets. It’s a new learning experience,” said Smita, whose show Hello Zindagi is a favourite with women listeners.

“This is my city and I connect with people here well. I am also aware of the issues here and I try to keep the language as colloquial as possible. I use terms that are Jamshedpur specific so that all segments of listeners can connect with our shows,” said Abhishek, who would soon begin a game show Big Gadda on his three-hour late afternoon show.

Randeep, a second-year BCom (Honours) student at Bhawanipur Education Society in Calcutta, looks quiet and shy, but the mischievous look in his eyes gives him away.

“The reason I moved to Jamshedpur was that it is close to home and is cosmopolitan. I must admit it’s been a great journey and now that I am getting to know the city, it is even better,” said Randeep, who is also into freelance anchoring in both Calcutta and Jamshedpur. He hosts Big Chai, the breakfast show, with comedy king Raju Srivastava.

For those who think it’s all fun, they have a word of caution. “It’s fun, but definitely not an easy job. We have a research team, which works 24x7 to prepare the content and the topics we have to speak on. We have to be spontaneous which only comes with training,” said Randeep.

But non-stop talking apart, there is a lot more they have been doing. Recently, the private radio channel collected a good amount of money to save the life of a five-year-old boy suffering from kidney failure.

Encouraged by this response, they are planning to take up more such issues, like road safety, through their programmes.

“Our tag line says Suno Sunao, Life Banao. Therefore, all that we want to do is make life a little better for the people around us,” the three of them smiled.