Tuned in to the waves

Apurva Purohit narrates some interesting stories from her childhood while we're midway into our conversation. CEO of Radio City, Purohit remembers how, as a child, she would listen to Chayya Geet on radio every time she sat down with her math books.

She tells us about shows like Modi ke Matwale Rahi, a popular radio show sponsored by Modi Tyres that she listened to as a child.

"It was remarkable how radio became a part of our daily lives. There was never a pause like while watching television, it was always a part of our lives and even then, content and advertising got seamlessly woven together on it," she says.

"My father," she adds, "often told me how he would take his radio set into the balcony, tuning it constantly to listen to Voice of America."

For someone who's been firmly behind the growth of a premiere radio channel, Purohit says she finds immense satisfaction working for a medium that she's grown up identifying with so well.

"People spend just 20 minutes on an average everyday reading a newspaper, while 80 minutes are spent viewing television. Compared to these, people spend 75 minutes listening to the radio every day," she says, stressing that after the Internet, radio is the medium with the second-widest reach among youth.

From being present in just three cities from 2001 to 2006, it's a medium that, in the last two years, has reached 91 different cities.

When Purohit joined Radio City in 2005, the channel had just four stations with 90-odd employees. "It was a division of a larger network, Star in this case, and there was no concept of either a finance or a marketing head. We actually didn't need so much staff then," she adds quickly.

Today, there are 400 employees in around 20 different stations, including places like Sangli, Solapur and Akola. "Radio City (also the number one radio channel in Mumbai) is identical to an MNC. We're thoroughly professional and that mirrors my personal value system," she says.

A listener of her channel ("not just out of compulsion but also by choice"), Purohit, the mother of a 14-year-old boy, says that she's amazed by the fact that radio jockeys are becoming the new psychoanalysts for so many listeners out there.

"We live in times where one is constantly battling loneliness. I'm amazed how most callers actually turn to RJs for answers to the problems in their lives," says Purohit.

She says that 80 per cent of the calls that Radio City receives are from housewives who invariably tune in to the channel to share their experiences and angst.

Ironically, while as the CEO of one of the oldest radio channels she's happy about the wide reach of media, as a mother Purohit sometimes feels that her child has had too much exposure too soon.

"One hopes that in this fast-paced life, Siddharth (her son) is imbibing strong value systems that'll keep him grounded," she says.

For someone who spends lavishly on holidays ("I work to take vacations," she laughs), Purohit makes sure to take two-three weeks off with her husband and son to different destinations.

"I want to see every part of the world at least once," she grins, talking about her recent trips to places like Bali, South Africa and Europe. "This time we'll head to the US to be with my brother who's just had a baby," she says.

A media brand specialist who's had long experience of working in advertising (she spent 12 years in this field working with Rediffusion DY&R and FCB ULKA), Purohit moved to television and created Zoom, a lifestyle channel, while giving the go-ahead to some memorable shows on Zee television, including the critically acclaimed Astitva.

"Nothing," she says, firmly, "would've been possible had it not been for my family's support. As a woman, it's natural to feel guilty about leaving your little son behind with your mother. But if you're a housewife sitting at home, you might feel guilty about wasting all your education. It depends on which guilt is easier to deal with. I chose the former," she winks.

Her mother, a psychologist, was also instrumental in giving a fillip to her daughter's career. "She quit her job to be with my son. She quit so that I could have a bright career," says Purohit.

For someone who tries as best as she can to balance home and office ("I operate with clockwork precision"), Purohit usually unwinds by reading. She's currently into Pico Iyer's book on the Dalai Lama.

"I like his language," she says, sharing with us her thoughts on the self-help genre of books. "It's easy to dismiss books like Secret and Alchemist, but come to think of it, they mirror the thoughts of the Bhagwad Gita, that of believing constantly in yourself," she says.

It's an important thought, one that she's always believed in, that's helped her achieve the top position where she is today.