UAE radio jockey dies in Kerala

Rajeev Cherai, 49, a popular Indian radio presenter with a Ras Al Khaimah-based Malayalam AM station, died in his hometown in the South Indian state of Kerala yesterday.

Cherai was being treated for liver disease for a month, his colleagues said.

A talent from the Cochin Kalabhavan, Cherai was earlier a mimicry artist who performed in the Gulf countries. He joined Radio Asia, the UAE’s first Malayalam radio channel, 19 years ago.

He had a huge fan base across the Gulf thanks to his humorous shows on the channel, where he held the position of senior programme executive.

Cherai is survived by his wife Sangeetha, a teacher at the Indian Public High School in Ras Al Khaimah, and their son Adithya.

Cherai’s colleagues, friends in the media and his fans in the UAE paid tributes to him on social media.