MUMBAI: Radio Mantra has announced the winner of its RJ-Giri initiative, the RJ-hunt contest that commenced on January 5 and saw over 4000 entries... pouring into the station. On Friday evening, with a large audience cheering on 10 of the smartest and wittiest candidates... from the overall entries, Sana Aftab, helped by her dedication and great voice, earned the favour of the audience, the judges and eventually, made the title her own.

Speaking on the RJ Hunt,  Kanwar Sameer, National Programming Head, Radio Mantra, said, RJ-Giri  is not only a platform for the young and restless,  but also a medium for us to develop a connect with audience in our cities. The contest was designed in a way that not only it became challenging with each passing round, but also kept the excitement and fun factor alive to invite maximum participation. We believe in positively impacting the lives of our listeners and in return it helps us in sustaining our brand image....

Subhashis Roy, National Sales Head, Radio Mantra, said,  Response for the Varanasi leg of RJ-Giri has been tremendous. A total of 4000-plus entries from across the city is truly a huge number. Not only have we found a great talent in Sana,  it was  also a  great pleasure interacting with the listeners live. Such huge acceptance from the people of Varanasi city reflects that as a brand, we stand strongly for empowering our listeners....

The evening, hosted by Mantra RJs Priyamvada and Garima, saw aspiring RJs competing against one another in some interesting and challenging rounds that tested their wit, humor and ability to handle various situations under pressure. Virendra Kumar, Director, Dainik Jagran, was the Chief Guest.

An excited Sana said,  A show like â€?RJ-Giri' gives a platform to people like us to achieve our dreams. Four months back, I was just a student in Varanasi who always dreamt of becoming a Radio Jockey  My life has changed now, and I am looking forward to learning a lot and to growing in Mantra...  Sana will now have the opportunity to  hone her skills under a team of experts from Mantra, and will be mentored under senior RJs to co-host shows with them.

Sana has not only got a chance to work with Radio Mantra, but has also won a cash prize of Rs 25000, along with gifts. The other finalists too took home trophies, mobile phones and other exciting prizes.

Listeners can catch the action pon-air, or log on to http://www.facebook.com/radiomantra and You Tube.