Ananya Nigam
Akashwani, also known as All India Radio, holds a special place in the hearts of our grandparents and parents. It is more than just a radio station; it is a source of nostalgia, comfort and cherished memories.
To know what our elders feel about AIR, which was an integral part of their lives, it’s important to hear it from them. After having a conversation with my grandparents and parents, I reached to this one conclusion which was common for both of them, “Akashwani was the sole source of not just information, but also entertainment back then” My grandfather, who has seen the times of both radio and television, recalls how his aunt used to sleep only after listening to Akashwani’s famous programme HAWA MAHAL. He himself heard a lot of programmes on the radio itself, one such name he mentioned was ‘HUMLOG’. He even told me how he enjoyed listening to the commentary of the 1983 World Cup on the radio itself. He also mentioned that unlike the new channels today which present highly sensationalized content, the news on radio used to be brief and to the point. A few cons that he mentioned, however, were, one that the relay time of programmes on AIR was very short and second, that there was a lot of variation in the voice, sometimes it was too loud and sometimes too low. He also mentioned a spokesperson named ‘Maharaja Vijay Nagaram’ in this regard. “TVs are better because they are an audio-visual medium and leave a longer impression on the mind as compared to voices on radio.” – he said.
My father, too, mentioned similar things. He loved listening to old songs on AIR, and also listening to programmes. His favourite one was ‘Kuch Baatein Kuch Geet’. “Be it the news of emergency or the assassination of Indira Gandhi”- we have heard everything on the radio. When I asked him what is his fondest memory of Akashwani, he enthusiastically mentioned – ‘listening to ball by ball commentary of Kapil Dev’s debut match’.
I truly loved listening to the harmonious perspective of ‘Akashwani’ from my elders.
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