“It’s not just a show, it’s an attitude,” said RJ Raunac of 93.5 Red FM at a panel discussion featuring popular Indian presenters from different radio stations.

Moderated by Sunil Kumar, President, exchange4media Group, the conversation explored how these RJ’s got interested in taking up their dream jobs and went about creating a connect with listeners.

Raunac, who hosts the evening drive show for his station in Delhi and has become very popular for playing a character called ‘Bauaa’, added: “We try to take a current topic and add our own take on it.”

RJ Sayema, who has been hosting the retro show ‘Purani Jeans’, on Radio Mirchi’s Delhi station for the last ten years recounted how she got interested in radio because she wanted to be an English newsreader.

Radio City’s morning host RJ Ginnie told the audience how she never intentionally planned on becoming a radio host, but having worked in different capacities at a station, she came to appreciate the RJ’s role as a friend who can share a slice-of-life with listeners.

RJ Siddarth, breakfast host for BIG FMs Mumbai station, told the audience he earlier used to be a Mechanical Engineer by profession, then did an MBA and also worked in an advertising agency.

MY FM’s Chandigarh breakfast RJ Meenakshi also said how she had graduated as a science student with a degree in Chemistry, and her parents wanted her to be a bureaucrat but she took a liking to theatre and ended up being on-air.

When asked what goes into making a show a big hit with the listeners, the presenters had different opinions.

According to RJ GInnie, “Noone knows what makes a great show. It’s hit and trial.”

But RJ Siddarth said: “If you do a show true to your personality and music and you can connect with your listener, that’s the only formula.”