Qatar launches Sinhala and Tamil radio channels from Doha

Two radio channels namely, QFM 95.3 Sithula and QFM Tamil, were recently launched in Doha. Ratnasingam Kohularangan, charge d’affaires at Sri Lankan Embassy in Doha, was the chief guest at the event.

Also present on the occasion were QFM’s Vice Chairman K.C. Abdul Latheef and Chief Executive Officer Anvar Hussain; second secretary, Sri Lankan Embassy Sumudu Wilpatha, Consular Employment and Welfare Rasika Jayasinghe as well as Sri Lankan business and community leaders.

Both the radios function under Qatar’s Ministry of Culture & Sports, using Qatar Media Corporation’s transmission facilities. QFM Sithula and QFM Tamil are broadcast in Sinhala and Tamil languages respectively. Both stations target the Sri Lankan expatriate community in Qatar. Speaking on the occasion, Ratnasingam Kohularangan said: “It’s like a dream come true. We had been waiting for our own language FM for long. In addition to providing education and entertainment to the community members, it will also be helpful in connecting and keeping them abreast of the latest local news.”

KC Abdul Latheef, in his address, thanked the guests for their presence and expressed his gratitude to the Sri Lankan Embassy and the Ministry of Culture and Sports for their support and cooperation. He said that QFM serves as an effective communication platform for Qatar’s ministries and authorities, as well as the Sri Lankan Embassy. Both infotainment radios, he noted, feature an array of interesting and useful programmes presented by reputed Doha-based RJs, both on-air and online.

Meanwhile, the Station Jingle, Websites, Marketing Video and Social Media pages were launched by Sumuda Wilpatha. The speakers also included Pantalion Perera, chairman, Sri Lankan Coordination Committee Qatar, Hazim Hamza, Sanjeevan Vimalraj, Tenison de Silva and Rajeev Fernando. The event was conducted by RJs Akalanka, Samadhi, Sandy and Ashik.