NATIONAL BROADCASTING DAY NOVEMBER-12

 

NATIONAL BROADCASTING DAY

NOVEMBER-12

 

Today.November 12, is National Broadcasting Day. On this day in 1927, the first ever radio broadcast in the country went on air from the Bombay Station under a private company, the Indian Broadcasting Company. On the 8th of June, 1936, the Indian State Broadcasting Service became All India Radio (AIR). The Central News Organisation (CNO) came into existence in August 1937. In the same year, AIR came under the Department of Communications and four years later came under the Department of Information and Broadcasting. The following year, CNO was split up into two divisions, the News Services Division (NSD) and the External Services Division (ESD). In 1956 the name AKASHVANI was adopted for the National Broadcaster. The Vividh Bharati Service was launched in 1957 with popular film music as its main component.Since 1927, Radio has been an important part of people's life in the country. AKASHVANI has been serving to inform, educate and entertain the masses truly living up to its motto – Bahujana Hitaya, Bahujana Sukhaya.On that day, Mahatma Gandhi visited the Broadcasting House in New Delhi for the first and only time in his life. The occasion underscores the vital role of radio in connecting citizens, fostering national integration, and delivering trusted public information across every corner of India.

At first, Mr Gandhi was hesitant to speak on the radio, as he had earlier addressed the medium only once during the Round Table Conference. However, on the advice of Ghanshyam Das Birla, he later agreed to deliver the address. The studio in Broadcasting House was arranged in the style of his daily prayer meetings.On the next day, Hindustan Times featured a headline, Mahatma Gandhi described Radio as an example of miraculous power. Subsequently, Mr Gandhi’s daily prayer meetings in Birla House began to be recorded, and these recordings are preserved till this day in the Prasar Bharati Archives.Since 1927, Radio has been an important part of people's life in the country. AKASHVANI has been serving to inform, educate and entertain the masses truly living up to its motto – Bahujana Hitaya, Bahujana Sukhaya. In the year 2000, then Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Sushma Swaraj announced that every 12th of November would henceforth be observed as Public Service Broadcasting Day. Since then, Akashvani has been celebrating the occasion every year with special programmes and events. Akashvani music artists render bhajans dear to Mahatma Gandhi to mark these celebrations.On the occasion of the 100th episode of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s monthly address ‘Mann Ki Baat’ in March of  2023, Akashvani dedicated the very studio from where Bapu had delivered his historic message as the ‘Bapu Studio’. The studio houses recordings of that speech, excerpts from his Prarthana Sabha, along with memorabilia and antiques from his visit, and a specially curated photo gallery depicting the historic occasion.Throughout the year, Akashvani broadcasts and organizes a series of special programmes across the country based on the Gandhian Philosophy. Public Service Broadcasting Day inspires Broadcasters to carry forward the ideals and teachings of the Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi, to every corner of the country.

Prof. John Kurakar