MUMBAI: As a precursor to the 'Beijing Olympics 2008', Big FM has, in a first-of-its-kind initiative, launched an 'Olympiad' across its 44 stations.

The initiative goes on air from 8 August for three weeks. As part of the initiative, Big FM RJs will battle for a record breaking on-air RJ marathon across 36 stations attempting to get into the Limca Book of Records for a record 100 hours of RJing.
The initiative also includes games and contests on-air as well as off-air at malls, youth hang-outs, offices hosted by Big FM, with winners getting the chance to walk away with gold medals. This initiative, christened 'Gold Medals Ki Baarish' , will be started from Mumbai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Chennai and Bangalore.

RJ 'Dheena' in Chennai, who will be attempting a feat of RJing for 136 hours is trying for an entry into the Guiness Book. From the other stations, RJs Anubhav and Pankaj from Chandigarh, RJ Ravi in Delhi, Shekhar in Hyderabad, Harsha and Shruti in Bangalore and RJ Rohit in Mumbai will take part in the battle. From the other cities attempting this unique challenge will be RJs from Trivandrum, Mangalore, Mysore, Vizag, Tirupathi, Jammu, Amritsar, Patiala, Jalandhar, Srinagar, Allahabad, Kanpur, Agra, Kota, Udaipur, Bareilly, Aligarh, Jodhpur, Ajmer, Hissar, Bikaner, Bhubaneshwar, Guwahati, Ranchi, Goa, Gwalior, Indore, Rajkot, Surat and Baroda, says a release.

All the RJs are going through several preparations for the marathon, both physically and mentally, and undertaking fitness, yoga and meditation classes to ensure the highest levels of patience, commitment and focus.

The stations have ensured arrangements like medical assistance, food, energy drinks, and a string of well wishers to ensure the RJs are in high spirits; and have also chalked out a programming plan to ensure the successful completion of the marathon. All the RJs attempting a 100 hour talkathon will begin the marathon with conversations with celebrities, friends and fans that are expected to call Big FM, to wish them luck. The RJs will also have a host of celebrities visiting the studios and rooting for them.

Talking about the initiative, Big FM vice president- programming Nirupam Sonu says, "We have always believed in creating exciting formats to entertain our listeners. With this radio Olympiad, we have created a unique event on radio, wherein every Indian can now win and bring alive the spirit of Olympics."