'Salaam Namaste' strives to reunite Indians, Pakistanis

HOUSTON: Thousands of miles away from the Indian subcontinent, a radio station in the US is striving to be a bridge between Pakistanis and Indians kept apart by old animosities.

Breakthroughs weren't on the mind of Jaipal Reddy, a 39-year-old immigrant from Hyderabad, when he set up "Salam Namaste" station as a way to market a South Asian-themed mall he planned to build in the Dallas area.

But over the last two years, "the blend of Muslim and Hindu worlds with US pop culture" has become critical to the radio station's success, says Mansoor Shah, a Pakistani who is a partner in the radio and retail businesses.

"The country got divided for whatever reason, but the people never did," he says.

The station says its goal is to bring the highest quality of Indian and Pakistani and other sub-continental music to immigrants who miss home.

Both Indian and Pakistani jockeys work at the station that caters to the South Asian community in North Texas.

"Once we enter this radio station, our nationalities are left behind," says Mirza Ubaid Baig, a Pakistan-born Muslim who trained to be a medical doctor, but whose passion is radio.

Baig is now pushing for more banter in English so that KZMP-FM (104.9) can grab audiences from other demographic groups.

"We've already broken the barrier between two enemy countries," he says.

"The US gives us a chance," Baig, who hosts the morning-drive show, said.
Baig views the station as a bridge between immigrants from Pakistan and India.