Oli 96.8 FM Singapore’s veteran deejay Bamah Balakrishnan has died following a heart attack.

The 59-year old presenter served MediaCorp’s Indian radio station, Oli FM for 39 years and was well-known amongst the Indian community in the country.

She produced a number of radio programmes over the years across genres and also helped create awareness about issues facing the Indian community by documenting many human interest stories.

A versatile personality who had a lot of passion for the Tamil language, she wrote and acted in various radio, TV and stage dramas and was a key speaker at public forums.

She was fondly remembered by many of her colleagues at MediaCorp.

 “Bamah was a true professional with a passion for the Tamil language. An evergreen radio voice who will be thoroughly missed but one that will be remembered forever,” said Dr Chitra Rajaram, Head Community Segment (Indian & Malay), MediaCorp.

Veteran Oli DJ, P.N. Bala Supramaniam recalls: “Bamah, an inimitable, unforgettable radio personality who captivated the listeners from day one. On and off-air she was always a bubbly person.”

“I grew up listening to Bamah and it was a pleasure to eventually work alongside her. She was my mentor and I will cherish the moments especially when we used to present programmes together. She leaves a huge void in the Oli conty,” said Oli’s Executive Producer-Presenter, Mohamed Rafi.

Popular Oli Personality Vimala shared: “A lot of our listeners have treated her like their own family member for the fact that she has been part of their Singapore life for so long. On career front, she has seen the evolution of radio, and entertained countless listeners across age groups.”