A 17-year-old fan, a rainy Mananchira night and a lifetime with Rafi Saab
Radio mechanic Hydroos Koya reflects on his lifelong admiration for legendary singer Mohammed Rafi, specifically recalling a rainy 1973 concert in Kozhikode. The story highlights the deep cultural impact of Rafi's music on his fans across generations.
Why it matters
It serves as a cultural piece documenting the enduring legacy of Indian playback music and the personal connection fans maintain with iconic artists.
Hydroos Koya, better known as Radio Koya, was just 17 when he saw his idol Mohammed Rafi for the first time. More than five decades later, he remembers every detail of that rainy night.
“It was a dream come true,” says the 74-year-old radio mechanic and collector, whose room today is filled with vintage valve radios, gramophones and rare Mohammed Rafi records.
As admirers across the world commemorate Rafi’s death anniversary on Friday (July 31, 2026), Radio Koya recalls the legendary singer’s Kozhikode concert in 1973.
Rafi came to Kozhikode on December 15, 1973, a Saturday, to perform at the historic Mananchira grounds for an MES (Muslim Educational Society) fund-raising programme. Singer Usha Timothy and comedian Johnny Whisky accompanied him.
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