Athira Ann M Jos
Doordarshan is an Indian public service broadcaster founded in 1959 by the Government of India. The channel began with an experimental broadcast in Delhi on 15 September 1959 with a small transmitter and a makeshift studio. Daily transmissions began in 1965 which included a five minute news bulletin. With the introduction of colour televisions in India, national telecasts began in 1982. Doordarshan operates 46 studios and 21 Television channels including DD National, DD News, DD sports, DD Bharati, DD Kisan and many more. However, it has also received a lot of criticism as it was widely used during the Emergency and Operation Blue star to disseminate the government propaganda.
Doordarshan is often referred to as “Desh ka apna channel”. It has been in the memories of thousands of Indians for decades. The popularity of Doordarshan during the early 1980s and 1990s is unmatched. The movies that aired only on sunday evenings or on any special occasions, the serials and the news, all invoke nostalgic feelings among both boomers and millennials alike. The iconic opening song of DD national is unforgettable. Shows such as ‘Chitrahaar’ were very popular among youngsters as it telecasted song clips from the hit bollywood films at the time. ‘The world this week’ was a weekly show that reported all the major events from all over the world and was hosted by Prannoy Roy, the former executive co-chairperson of NDTV. Kids shows like ‘Gali Gali Sim Sim’ was also one of the most watched shows in the late 2000s. The cricket matches on DD Sports were enjoyed immensely by the people.
Back in the day, having a television at home was often regarded as a symbol of affluence. Only a few ones had that luxury. So people used to gather at each other’s houses to watch these shows and cricket matches. The house would become a mini theatre on such days. As I talked to them, I realised that this generation will never understand the nostalgia our parents and grandparents feel regarding Doordarshan. Instead we are blessed with a wide variety of sources of entertainment at our fingertips, irrespective of nationality or language. However, the special love people hold for their memories of Doordarshan remains unparalleled.
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