MUMBAI: Pune and Mumbai:  Jawans at the Wagah Border, and elsewhere, listeners across all its 12 markets – this Diwali, Red FM is reaching out them all. To the Jawans, with messages of love and respect, plus sweets, and to its other listeners elsewhere, with the traditional Diwali Bakshish -- which listeners have to compete to win.

Sandese Aate Hain from Red FM  Pune:

At a time in the festive season when everyone wants to be with their near and dear ones, Red FM Pune has spared a thought for the Jawans at the Wagah Border, and is set to take sweets and messages of love and respect to them from listeners and their near and dear ones. The station  for expression, as it calls itself, Red FM has created a one-off property called Sandese Aate Hain, through which its listeners will get a chance to send special Diwali messages the Jawans. Pune-ites can either call in or SMS their names and messages to 58585, and RED FM Pune's RJ Mandee will actually travel to the Wagah Border to convey not only these messages and the goodwill of Pune-ites, but also deliver 93.5 kgs of â€?Punyachi Faral,' a popular sweet for the Jawans.

The station claims to have already received thousands of SMS and phone calls from listeners as well as defense personnel  who wanted to lend support to their brethren posted on the borders. Pune's Mayor  Mohan Rajpal Singh, Commissioner of Police Meeran Borawankar,  and Commander Milan, speaking on behalf of the National Defence Academy, also recorded special messages for the Jawans.

Nisha Narayanan, Senior VP, Projects and Programming, RED FM said: Diwali being the widely celebrated festival across India denotes the feeling of �togetherness'. It's a time for families and friends, for celebration and joy. Therefore, this Diwali we intend to make the Jawans feel loved and thank them for the sacrifices they have made, and continue to make, in safeguarding the borders of our country while staying away from their loved ones....

RJ Mandee will bring the entire trip to Pune listeners till November 5th via phone links recorded at every important milestone on the way  The station will also bring forth the trials and tribulations of the Jawans and the sacrifices made by them and their families.

A delighted RJ Mandee said I am thrilled and extremely proud to be meeting the soldiers of our great nation. We have received a marvellous response from the listeners so far and from the very start we have received truly heartfelt messages. My problem now is fitting in all of their lovely messages on the life-size banner!...

RJ Mandee reached Amritsar on November 3rd and visited the Golden Temple the same evening. Today, the 4th of November, she is taking a tank ride with the Hosting Regiment and will visit the spectacular Wagah Border in the later half of the day.

.........................................................................................................................................

Diwali Bakshish to listeners across 12 cities:

RED FM plans to celebrate the festival of lights with its listeners across 12 stations, by giving them a chance to win gifts as the traditional �Diwali Bakshish'. The celebration went under way on the 2nd of November and will continue till the 6th.

Interestingly, an affable family, the Bakshis, has been challenging listeners to answer questions ranging from Bollywood to the current trends in their city. Members of the Bakshi family are giving each participant three random questions, and those who answer correctly stand being able to win prizes 

What makes this challenge interesting is that before each question is asked the listener has to decide which of the three prizes he would be willing to let go of in case he or she gets it wrong. Those who are not only Bollywood fanatics but can also double up as efficient and knowledgeable city guides can can participate by SMSing Diwali to 58558.

�Diwali Bakshish' is being aired across Red FM stations in Ahmedabad, Baroda, Bhopal, Bhubaneshwar, Guwahati, Indore, Jaipur, Kanpur, Lucknow, Nagpur, Pune and Mumbai.