Munni Baji

Munni Baji Urdu: منی باجی of Radio Pakistan is a Pakistani artist who remained associated to the Radio Pakistan for almost 45 years and retired in 1993, but worked on contracts till 1998. She received Ilyas Rashidi's Nigar Award for her services.

Born Perveen Akhtar in Simla in 1941, she had 4 brothers and sisters. She was introduced to the Radio by Behzad lakhnawi, a family friend and Started career as a child artist in Delhi before she started working for All India Radio.

She migrated to Pakistan with her family in 1947. Munni Baji lived in Lahore in order to claim the lost property through the Ministry of Rehabilitation, Government of Pakistan. And did 2 years in Lahore, as a drama artist with the help of Zia Jullundri, another Radio personality.

In 1955, after receiving the lost property she shifted to the Burnes Road in Karachi along with her family. In Karachi she was known from Delhi. "Z.A. Bokhari was a friend of her grandfather and helped her a lot. Her grandfather who was allotted a canteen at the government offices handed over the canteen to her brother Maqsood and her.

She temporarily left the Radio in order to run the canteen. However she later returned to the Radio Pakistan in 1958.

She accepted the kid roles in dramas for the Radio Pakistan due to her voice. She did many serials with Qaid-e-Havas and Zanjeer Bolti Hai. She also did children programme Naunehaal, for more than 30 years whose name later changed into Bachchon Ki Duniya. Bachchon Ki Duniya is still remembered by the young-ones of the 1970s and 1980s. She once did a TV programme Badon Ke Liye for a private company.

Her poor health forced her to retire in 1993.

She left this world on 14 May 2007 in Karachi. She left two brothers and two sisters. Her one of brother Maqsood Hassan is like her having almost the same height and he is a well known stage and TV artist.

• Munni Baji of Radio Pakistan