NIRVANIKA SINGH

Most of us, today, are unfamiliar with the magic that good old radio can bring into our lives. Back in the days, even owning a radio was a matter of pride. The All India Radio or Akashvani, had charmed the people since its advent during the independence struggle. However, the massive surge in its popularity from the 70s to the 90s epitomises the Indian audience’s enchantment with the radio. During this period, the transistor radio was everywhere. In villages, in small towns, in cities, at the local chai shop, in hovels and grand havelis. This is also when the radio became less elitist and was readily available to the majority of the population. As soon as I asked my parents to share their memories of the radio, both of them said in perfect unison, the three words that are capable of taking them back to their childhood days- “Yeh Akashvani hai”. It was clear from their exuberance that the pleasant memories that inundated them, defied every description. It was something that could only be felt.

My father recalls very fondly, listening to cricket commentary with utmost concentration. He went on to say that he was in school, sneakily listening to the radio, when the news of India winning the Cricket World Cup in 1983 reached him. The mirth he felt was, in his words, “ineffable”. Even if you left home and walked to your bus stop or train station, you could catch the score. “Score kya hai?” was the refrain as you passed the local chai shop where the commentary was blaring on full volume for everyone to enjoy.

My grandfather describes his experience with the radio during the 1962, Sino-Indian war as follows:
“Every night, there would be a power cut for at least 4 hours. During this period all you could hear was the sound of planes flying above. Every family in our locality would be stuck to the radio in order to receive the most recent updates.”

My mom, on the other hand, was very passionate about music. Some of her favourite memories involve listening to the ‘Binaca Geetmala’ by Ameen Sayani. In between the music and cricket, there was news. The daily news bulletin from AIR was heard almost everywhere in the country. Even though it was the government’s version of events, it was not blatantly coloured in the early years. In the absence of any other mass media, radio was the main source of news. The credibility of AIR got seriously dented in 1975, when Indira Gandhi declared a state of emergency. AIR earned the sobriquet of All Indira Radio, as only the news that echoed the narrative set by Indira Gandhi could be broadcast.
However, in spite of this the AIR continued to be a crucial aspect of every Indian’s life.

The development of the All India Radio, thus bears testimony to the very evolution of Indian society and politics.

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