Ameen Sayani was only 4 years old when he got the opportunity to go to London for the first time. His father, Dr. Jan Mohammad Sayani, was a doctor by profession. Ameen Sayani’s uncle lived in London. Since Ameen Sayani’s father only had an MBBS degree, on his uncle’s advice, they went to London as a family to pursue an MD degree.
They traveled from Bombay to London by ship. After reaching London, they stayed there for a while. Then they returned to India because the weather in London didn’t suit his father, and he fell ill. However, Ameen Sayani’s elder brother, Habib Sayani, was left in London to pursue his medical studies under their uncle’s guidance.
Second Story
During his school days, Ameen Sayani was very active in sports. But in 1945, when he was in the sixth grade, he fell ill with a kidney disease. Although his father was a doctor himself, he called a senior doctor from Bombay for his treatment. That doctor started his treatment and strictly instructed him not to get out of bed at all.
It was a very difficult time for young Ameen Sayani. He fought with the illness for six months. And because he was a brilliant student, during this time when his school exams came, he was allowed to participate from home. Even then, he ranked second in the entire class. When Ameen Sayani recovered from the illness, he was sent to the famous Scindia School in Gwalior for further studies.
Third Story
Millions of people were crazy about Ameen Sayani’s voice. But the first time Ameen Sayani himself heard his recorded voice, he didn’t like it at all. At that time, he was only nine years old. It was his elder brother, Hamid Sayani, who took him to the All India Radio Bombay station for the first time, where he was given the opportunity to record his voice.
For the first time, he read a poem in English on the microphone. And when he heard his recorded voice, he didn’t like it at all. At that time, Ameen Sayani Sahab could not have known that he would become famous in the country and the world for his voice in a few years.
Fourth Story
Very few people know that Ameen Sayani’s paternal uncle, Rahimatulla Sayani, was a barrister. Along with that, he was also a very prominent leader of the Congress party at that time. During that time, there was a law firm in Bombay which was named Gilbert and Sayani. And you will be surprised to know that when Mahatma Gandhi returned from England after practicing law, he was associated with this Gilbert and Sayani firm for the first time. During that time, Ameen Sayani’s family became very well acquainted with Gandhiji. Mahatma Gandhi considered Ameen Sayani’s mother, Kulsum Begum, as his daughter.
Fifth Story
Credit for bringing Ameen Sayani to the radio should be given to his elder brother Hamid Sayani. He was the first person to introduce him to the world of radio. Let’s talk a little about his brother Hamid Sayani. Hamid Sayani was also a famous broadcaster of his time. And his specialty was that he used to host programs in English on All India Radio. And it was Hamid Sayani who conducted India’s first international interview. Hamid Sayani once interviewed the famous American actress Greer Garson.
Sixth Story
Ameen Sayani had a great passion for listening to songs at one time. Ameen Sayani also wanted to sing. And for some time, he also received formal training in classical music. However, his dream could never come true. At that time, there was a program running on All India Radio in which new singers got a chance to sing. The name of that program was Fulwari.
Ameen Sayani Sahab used to go to the radio station to listen to that program. Some health drink brand sponsored that program. During the break of the program, an announcer used to praise that health drink. One day, the announcer did not come to the radio station at all.
At that time, the producer of the Fulwari show, Balmukund Shrivastav Ji, asked Ameen Sayani Ji to read the lines written in praise of that health drink. Upon his request, Ameen Sayani also read those lines. And Ameen Sayani read those lines in such a style that the entire radio station was impressed by his delivery. After that, Ameen Sayani was asked to come every week to read those lines.
Ameen Sayani was very pleased to hear this. He thought that maybe he had finally got a job. He asked if he would be paid for it. Then Ameen Sayani was told that he wouldn’t be paid. But he would get a free bottle of that health drink every week. Upon hearing this, Ameen Sayani felt a little disappointed. But he still committed to coming every week.
In another story, it is well known that Amitabh Bachchan once aspired to become a radio presenter. In this story, we have heard how All India Radio rejected Bachchan Sahab. But the one who rejected Bachchan Sahab was none other than Ameen Sayani himself. In fact, in the 1960s, Ameen Sayani was very busy. He used to do many radio programs in a single day.
During those days, Amitabh Bachchan came to meet him. And since Bachchan Sahab came to meet him without an appointment, he was refused the meeting. And he was asked to take an appointment. Bachchan Sahab came to the radio station to meet Sayani Ji once or twice again. But again, without an appointment. That’s why Ameen Sayani refused to meet Bachchan Sahab every time. And it’s good that Ameen Sayani didn’t meet Bachchan Sahab.