As the sun sets around a building housing the corporate home of Fun Asia Network (FAN) in Dubai’s Media City, for a bunch of people with the female gender prominent, Friday evening is actually a new dawn for them in a sense. Huddled together at the orientation ceremony of a radio jockey course at the ground floor of the Zee Tower, hopes of the aspirants are soaring in anticipation to a new beginning.
An initiative of the UAE institute of EMDI with FAN, who have four radio channels and are offering a two-month paid internship, “participants will learn not just about how to be a radio jockey, but also other aspects about radio programming,” according to the FAN business head Sunny Ahuja.
For some ‘students’, the six-month course to be held on weekends will allow many adults to re-write their destiny. There is Nidhi Vohra, for whom destiny willed to be the last enrolment for the course even though it was always her dream. “I wanted to be a radio jockey and follow my passion for music, but my parents said, choose a ‘proper career’ because this was not something you did normally back then,” she says.
“So I did law and became a lawyer. Then I got married, but stayed as a homemaker, discharging my duties as a mother to my two kids. I heard about the course on radio while on a school run, but did not muster much courage. Then a few weeks later, a friend who knows me closely and my dream heard about it and pushed me. Even now, I have taken the course fee as a loan from my husband, not sure how it will work out … but here I am as the last person to join!”
The trepidations about financials and doing something different from routine is a common under-current. Many turned out to be teachers who want to practice after preaching lessons on building self-confidence in the path to discover oneself.
Yet, there is someone, who is trying to re-ignite her passion. Ukraine’s Polina Dikanskaya is in the UAE for eight years and working in real estate. “I was a radio jockey when I was young and back in Ukraine. But, I left it and changed many fields, including the backend office at a real estate developer. My radio experience in Ukraine was in the Russian language. This course is to fulfill my expectations so that I don’t have any regret.”
Drishti Goyal, a mother of two, is also rekindling her passion. She appeared on the Indian singing talent show Sa Re Ga Ma Pa in 2008, but married life can go many ways for females. Now she is a Reiki healer. “When I joined the course, it was to be an RJ. But today, I realised there is a bigger picture (on being told that there will be other aspects of radio programming as part of the course curriculum)… And I believe every voice you utter, has the power to heal.”
With instructors from EMDI and a platform such as FAN, owned by US-based Indian Sam Thakkar, the power of healing for many RJ aspirants has begun. By the end of the year, some lives will take a new turn. A male participant, also a teacher, summed it aptly through an old Hindi song: ‘Ruk jaana nahin tu kabhi haarke .. kaanto pe chalke milenge saaye bahaar ke’ (Don’t you stop feeling lost, only after walking on thorns will you find the comfort of blooming flowers).
Journalist for 25 years with leading publications in India and UAE such as The National, Mumbai Mirror, DNA, Indian Express and former Sports Editor of eIndia.com. Now managing editor of Headline.ae, part of MEMc (https://www.memc.co)
Season 29 of Global Village will kick off on October 16, 2024, the outdoor destination announced. The season will run until May 11, 2025. The popular destination remains closed during the summer months. This year, Global Village is expanding its offerings, featuring more cultural representations, never-before-seen entertainment, and exciting infrastructure upgrades.
Visitors to the family-friendly destination can experience a diverse range of performances, shopping, and dining experiences from cultures around the world.
Opening more than 25 years ago, the destination set a new record of over 10 million visitors in its 28th season, the longest season to date, hosting 27 pavilions representing over 90 cultures from around the globe, as well as 3,500 shopping outlets and 250 dining options.
The destination is expecting millions of visitors from around the globe to gather for the park’s attractions during the upcoming season.
Ferrari World Yas Island, Abu Dhabi’s acclaimed Ferrari-themed park, has once again redefined entertainment by launching the world’s first Ferrari-themed Esports Arena. This state-of-the-art venue is set to become the go-to destination for racing enthusiasts, Formula 1 aficionados, and thrill-seekers alike.
The newly unveiled Ferrari World Esports Arena features an impressive lineup of 20 Gran Turismo simulators, thoughtfully designed to cater to a broad audience. Fourteen simulators are dedicated to adult racers, while six are specifically designed for younger guests, creating a family-friendly atmosphere that welcomes visitors of all ages.
The arena also includes three specialised F1 simulators, offering participants the exhilarating experience of sitting in the driver’s seat of a Ferrari race car and racing on legendary F1 Grand Prix circuits, including the Yas Marina Circuit. Open daily from 10am to 6pm, the Ferrari World Esports Arena offers access to the Gran Turismo simulators as part of the theme park ticket until the end of the year. The exclusive F1 simulators are available for an additional fee, starting from Dh60 per race.
A new beach, only for women, has been announced in Sharjah under the orders of the emirate’s ruler Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi. The 500-meter beach is located in the Lulu’iya area of Khorfakkan and will offer complete privacy for women. The beach will also have other amenities like a cafe, a medical clinic, and a prayer room.
Other than this beach, Sharjah has the Sharjah Ladies Club beach and in 2023, Sheikh Dr Sultan announced the development of women’s only beaches in Kalba and at Al Hamariya Beach. In May this year, the Crown Prince of Dubai Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed launched the Dubai Quality of Life Strategy 2033, which includes designating new beaches for only women.
In further orders, the Sharjah Ruler directed the construction of a pedestrian bridge linking Al Bardi 6 and Al Batha areas in Khorfakkan city.
Speaking on the Sharjah’s Direct Line radio programme, Yousef Khamis Al Othmani, Chairman of RTA Sharjah said that the new bridge will help the movement of residents between the two areas.
He also said the RTA will implement modifications to the internal roads in the Hayawa area.
