Fijian-born NZ Radio Network Owner Named Member of NZ Order of Merit
Fijian-born founder and chief executive of New Zealand’s leading Hindi radio network, Radio Tarana, has been named a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit in Her Majesty The Queen’s 91st Birthday Honours List. Yesterday, Robert Khan received a congratulatory letter from New Zealand Prime Minister Bill English for his selfless service to his community and country.
Mr Khan has been acknowledged for his service to broadcasting and the Indo-Fijian and Indian communities, after more than two decades at the helm of Radio Tarana.
From humble beginnings as New Zealand’s first commercial Indian radio network, Mr Khan has led
Tarana to become one of the largest independent brands in New Zealand radio.
“I am humbled to receive this award and I am very honoured but this award is not about me,” Mr Khan said.
“It reflects all the work done by people during this Tarana journey,” he said.
“I’m motivated by the people I work with and the people I work for. They motivate me to get up and come to work every morning, and are my
inspiration for making radio a success, and Tarana a brand to be reckoned with.
“Radio Tarana is the pulse of the Indian community in New Zealand and was established in 1996. It acts as the connection for the Indian diaspora in New Zealand to their culture, entertainment, music and information.”
Among its successes, Tarana was the first ethnic radio broadcaster to sign a joint venture with MediaWorks Radio, and in 2014 became the first ethnic radio network to partner with NZME, on their iHeartRadio platform.
Mr Khan’s success with the Tarana model has paved the way for ethnic radio in New Zealand and has been used to champion the cause of ethnic media.
About Mr Khan:
Mr Khan was born in Suva and educated at Marist Brothers High School. He left Fiji in 1984 to pursue higher education in New Zealand. Widely travelled, Mr Khan keeps in touch with his roots and travels to Fiji frequently. This is demonstrated by Tarana’s emphasis on Fijian news and current affairs as a significant part of its broadcast schedule. Mr Khan also serves on a number of advisory and governance boards including the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment’s Small Business Advisory Group, and as an elected member of the New Zealand Radio Broadcasters Association. He is an advisor for numerous businesses and broadcast organisations in Fiji, India and across Asia.