主播大秀

"Didi, please don鈥檛 let Mehendi die!鈥� So begged Jyoti Bhadoria, a young mother of three from Madhya Pradesh, at a truly special event last week in Bhopal.

She had travelled from her tiny village after winning a competition on our radio show Khirki Mehendiwali ('Mehendi Opens A Window') which sets out to improve family health in Madhya Pradesh by telling the story of a feisty young woman called Mehendi who dreams of becoming a radio DJ.

"From the first episode to the last, the whole journey has been a truly memorable experience," Jyoti said. "We want to continue this journey, so please don鈥檛 stop the show! Didi, don鈥檛 let Mehendi die!"

Interactive radio

Jyoti was joined in Bhopal by more than 20 other winners, who had all become part of Mehendi Mitra Mandali, (Friends of Mehendi club) by answering a question asked on the show. 听听

Our team had come up with the idea of a competition to make the programme 'stickier' and give our audience a more interactive experience. Listeners answered the question by phoning a number announced on the show and then we phoned them back. 听

There were no big money prizes, just the opportunity to join the Friends of Mehendi club and win a visit to Bhopal for a 'felicitation ceremony' - a day of celebration. 听But during its 37-episode run over three months, Khirki Mehendiwali received nearly 11,000 calls and thousands of post cards. 听

The lucky winners came to Bhopal from all over the state and spent the entire day sight-seeing in the state capital, the high point being a cruise on Lake Bhoj.听

Then in the evening, they were awarded with plaques and watched a performance by local musicians. When the winners entered the event's venue, an invited audience gave them a standing ovation.

Listening and learning

It was a terrific day that really impressed on me the difference a radio programme can make.

Jyoti told me that she invited her neighbours over for tea to listen and enjoy the show and how she and her friends started to relate to the characters, chatting about the plot鈥檚 twists and turns and the health advice given by the show鈥檚 medical character, Dr Anita. 听

This power of radio to trigger debate was picked up by P P Singh, the head of Bhopal鈥檚 National University of Journalism, who also attended the event. He described Khirki Mehendiwali as 鈥渉eart and brain mixed in equal proportion鈥� and praised its 鈥渋nteresting format that aims to touch lives鈥�.听

Another competition winner, community health worker Sushila told me, 鈥淎lthough I鈥檓 a health worker, listening to Mehendi and Dr Anita, I realised I need to know a lot more. I have learned many new things. This show has really helped me in my chats with the women in my area.鈥澨�

Dr Krishna Swamy, from Indian government鈥檚 technical unit which is supported by the UK鈥檚 Department for International Development, heard the women鈥檚 testimonies and agreed with Sushila鈥檚 observation that radio can really help. 鈥淔or raising awareness about basic issues like health and livelihood, you need to tell stories through a basic medium like radio,鈥� he said.听

Real support

Some of the competition winners were fans of the show from the start. Manisha Mehra, a widow working as domestic help, said, 鈥淲hen I heard the first episode, I knew I had to hear it all because I need to pass this knowledge on to my teenage daughter.鈥�

The support a radio show can provide was also obvious. 鈥淒r Anita and Mehendi became my family and taught me about getting ready for birth, delivery and post-natal care,鈥� a woman called Subhashini said.

She lives with her husband, a farmer, in a remote village. They are expecting their first child but have no family elders living close by. 鈥淚t鈥檚 because of the show that I鈥檓 not worried about having a girl or a boy,鈥� she added. 鈥淲e have understood it鈥檚 really the same.鈥澨�

Opening a window听

The Bhopal event itself was, for a lot of the winners, a real eye-opener. 鈥淚 am only allowed to visit my mother鈥檚 family home once a week,鈥� said Gayatri Lochkar from the city of Itarsi. 鈥淏ut because you all invited us so affectionately, my husband agreed to accompany me here,鈥� she said.

Laxmi Sen from Sagar also said, 鈥淚 think, after my marriage, it was the first time I laughed so much. I made some good friends from different parts of the state 鈥� my window has opened indeed.鈥� Leela Kishan, who is visually impaired, travelled to Bhopal with his sister-in-law and was very emotional when he told me, 鈥淚鈥檓 here to salute the spirit of a healthy family 鈥� good health is the key to happiness.鈥�

The ceremony ended with emotional speeches by Jyoti and another young woman, 23-year-old Sakshi Gupta.听

Like Mehendi, Sakshi would love to build a career in the media. 鈥�Khirki Mehendiwali has helped me in so many ways,鈥� she said. 鈥淚鈥檓 trying to get my friends listen to the radio. I want to be like Mehendi but my father can鈥檛 pay for any courses.鈥澨� I hope like Mehendi, someone helps open her 鈥榳indow鈥�.

We have yet to fully evaluate the show’s reach and impact. But the stories we heard last week left the Khirki Mehendiwali team inspired and even more determined to listen to the women like Jyoti and not “let Mehendi die.”

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