A new radio station has launched in Surrey as a longtime Metro Vancouver broadcaster steps back from the mic.
Shushma Datt, owner of and host on Spice Radio (1200 AM), and her son Sudhir Datta have stepped away from the station. Datt has been a prominent figure in B.C.'s broadcast world and South Asian community for decades, including launching Radio Rimjhim and Spice Radio.
“Now feels like the right time,” Datt said in a press release. “I want to return to my original love—programming for seniors and elders in our community via Rimjhim. Sudhir is ready to follow his own dreams. We’re proud of what we’ve built, and it’s time to let the next chapter unfold—for the station, for our community, and for us.”
When Datt launched Spice Radio in 2005 she became the first Canadian woman to receive a broadcasting license from the CRTC. She's also been named Broadcaster of the Year by the British Columbia Association of Broadcasters and is a Member of the Order of British Columbia.
“When our community had no television content of its own, I created it," says Datt in the release. "When there was no radio that truly reflected the evolving identity of our youth, I launched Rim Jhim and later RJ1200—what became Spice Radio.”
Spice Radio signed off permanently on July 25, 2025, but the airwaves didn't go silent as the broadcasting license was sold. Now, a new station, Radio Swift, has launched, serving the same community of Metro Vancouver listeners.
"Radio Swift 1200 AM delivers a dynamic mix of news, talk shows, music, current affairs, and community programming in a variety of South Asian languages—including Punjabi, Hindi, Urdu, and more," reads the new station's website.
The new station is being led by CEO Devinder Singh Benipal, with hosts including former Sher-E-Punjab Radio Nimmi Daula, former MP Jinny Sims, and Sameer Kaushal, who's worked for Red FM and Sher-E-Punjab previously.
