MUMBAI: RED FM Ahmedabad’s RJ Devaki was declared winner in the best RJ (International Radio Festival) category of the recently held Radio Connex 2018 in Mumbai. She is the fifth Indian RJ and the third female RJ, who will be representing India at the International Radio Festival in Malta, slated to be held from 29 October to 4 November 2018. Earlier RED FM Mumbai's RJ Malishka (2012 and 2016), Radio Mirchi's RJ Jeeturaj (2013), MY FM's RJ Meenakshi (2014) and BIG FM Mumbai's RJ Siddharth Mishra (2015) had represented India at the prestigious global radio galore.

“I have just won this award at Radio Connex 2018. This is the first time Radioandmusic.com has done awards in India and this is second among the independent radio awards, we had in the country,” exclaimed excited Devaki post-winning the honour. She was awarded by Indiantelevision Dot Com group founder and CEO Anil Wanvari.

On being asked if she expected winning this prestigious award, Devaki revealed, “I don’t think, you come to these places just with expectations, but to celebrate work of anybody, who is doing it well. And every person, I have met here, I have known so many of them for so many years because it is my 15th year in radio. I have not only grown with them but also seen them growing and doing really inspiring things. Thus, I was here with India’s best RJs and my intent, of attending the event, was to be able to meet these like-minded people and some of the best minds of the country, who have a similar kind of humour, spunk and unique identities.”

On her favourite moment from the grand event, the famous radio jock revealed, “I think the beat boxing boys group 7 Bantaiz was fantastic. The moment the boys started their performance on the mike and the sound, they created, I was just blown away. It’s a fantastic that this kind of platform has been given to them. They have a long career ahead, but they will never forget the space, Radioandmusic gave them.”

When asked, how excited she is to represent India at the International Radio Festival in Malta, Devaki, who is popular for her morning show, Morning No 1 said, “I am extremely excited. For the past 5000 years, there has been no other country, like India, which has this kind of diversity, strength, uniqueness, and the identities we have when it comes to culture, clothing, food, art. But, together we all have been able to celebrate each other’s space, freedom, choices, and this strength will have to be celebrated in Malta. I am very glad that I am the person who will be to do it at the International Radio Festival in Malta. What can be a bigger honour than going to Malta and celebrating my country?"

“Any radio jockey would have spent about 15 years doing what I have been doing and to feel the goosebumps, butterflies in stomach and excitement that if there is a listener, there has to be somebody speaking. ‘What not to speak’, makes you a better RJ. The value of time has to be valued with the number and kind of words, you are going to choose. If the jock is speaking for one minute and there are one lakh people listening to you, it is one lakh million minutes of somebody’s time that you are never going to get back. Hence, you need to make sure that you give the best out of it. I will, thus, have the fine balance in Malta while at the same time celebrating my country’s beauty, strength and diversity. I am looking forward to it,” Devaki further expressed on representing India at Malta.

RJ Devaki thanked fans in her style in Gujarati, while apologising for not being with them on the very first day of Navaratri. But, she assured them that she will join them for the remaining nine days, with an add-on day along with Falguni Pathak.