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{{Short description|National public radio broadcaster of India}}
{{hatnote group|
{{for|the electronic band|All India Radio (band)}}
{{redirect|Akashavani|the 2021 film|Aakashavaani}} }}
{{More citations needed|date=August 2024}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2020}}
{{Use Indian English|date=August 2013}}
{{Infobox radio network
| name = Akashvani
| logo = Akhashvani logo.png
| image =
| image_size = 260px
| caption =
| type = [[Government organisation]]
| branding =
| airdate = {{start date|1936|6|8}}
| country = [[India]]
| area = Nationwide
| available = National<br />International
| founded =
| founder = [[Government of India]]
| slogan =
| motto = ''Bahujanahitāya Bahujanasukhāya''<ref>{{cite web|url=http://allindiaradio.gov.in/Profile/Mission|title=Mission of AIR|website=allindiaradio.gov.in|access-date=4 September 2021|archive-date=24 December 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181224193129/http://allindiaradio.gov.in/Profile/Mission%20|url-status=live}}</ref><br/><small>''For the benefit of many people and the happiness of many people''</small>
| owner = [[Prasar Bharati]]
| parent = [[Government of India]]
| key_people = Rajeev Kumar Jain, Director General
| launch_date = {{start date and age|1936|6|8|df=yes}}
| dissolved =
| former_names =
| callsigns =
| callsign_meaning =
| former_callsigns =
| affiliation =
| affiliates =
| groups =
| former_affiliations =
| headquarters = Akashvani Bhavan<br>[[Sansad Marg]], [[New Delhi]]
| webcast = [https://akashvani.gov.in/radio/live.php Akashvani Live Radio]
| website = [http://allindiaradio.gov.in All India Radio], [http://www.newsonair.gov.in/ News on AIR]
| footnotes =
}}
'''All India Radio''' ('''AIR'''), also known as '''Akashvani''' ({{lit|1=Voice from the sky|2=Oracle|translit=Ākāśavāṇī}}), is India's [[state-owned]] [[public broadcasting|public]] [[radio broadcaster]]. Founded in 1936,<ref name=Milestones>{{cite web |url=http://allindiaradio.gov.in/Profile/Milestones |title=Milestones of AIR (official website) |publisher=All India Radio |access-date=13 January 2013 |archive-date=24 December 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181224193127/http://allindiaradio.gov.in/Profile/Milestones%20 |url-status=live }}</ref> it operates under the [[Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (India)|Ministry of Information and Broadcasting]] and is one of the two divisions of [[Prasar Bharati]].<ref>[https://prasarbharati.gov.in/homepage-air/ Home page: All India Radio] ''prasarbharati.gov.in''. Retrieved 4 September 2021</ref> Headquartered at the ''Akashvani Bhavan'' in New Delhi, it houses the Drama Section, FM Section, and National Service. It also serves as the home of the Indian television station Doordarshan Kendra.
All India Radio is one the largest radio network in the world in terms of the number of languages broadcast, the socioeconomic diversity it serves, and the scale of its broadcasting organisation. AIR's domestic service includes 420 stations nationwide, covering nearly 92% of India's geographic area and 99.19% of its population, with programming available in 23 languages and 179 dialects.<ref>{{Cite web |title=AIR Home |url=http://prasarbharati.gov.in/AIR/index.php |access-date=2020-02-28 |website=prasarbharati.gov.in |archive-date=17 June 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200617235712/http://prasarbharati.gov.in/AIR/index.php |url-status=live }}</ref>
[[File:Stamp of India - 1961 - Colnect 141804 - Silver Jubilee All India Radio - Radio Masts and Emblem.jpeg|thumb|A stamp commemorating Akashvani's silver jubilee]]


'''All India Radio''' ('''AIR'''), officially known since 1957 as '''Akashvani''' ("Voice from the Sky"), is the national [[public broadcasting|public]] radio broadcaster of [[India]] and is a division of [[Prasar Bharati]]. It was established in 1936.<ref name=Milestones>{{cite web|url=http://allindiaradio.gov.in/Profile/Milestones |title=Milestones of AIR (official website) |publisher=All India Radio |access-date=13 January 2013}}</ref> It is the sister service of Prasar Bharati's [[Doordarshan]], an Indian television broadcaster. Headquartered in the Akashvani Bhavan building in [[New Delhi]], it houses the Drama Section, the FM Section, the National Service, and is also home to the Indian television station [[Doordarshan]] Kendra, ([[Delhi]]).
==History==


All India Radio is the largest radio network in the world, and one of the largest broadcasting organisations in the world in terms of the number of languages broadcast and the spectrum of socio-economic and [[cultural diversity]] it serves. AIR's home service comprises 420 stations located across the country, reaching nearly 92% of the country's area and 99.19% of the total population. AIR originates programming in 23 languages and 179 dialects.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://prasarbharati.gov.in/AIR/index.php|title=AIR Home|website=prasarbharati.gov.in|access-date=2020-02-28}}</ref>
=== Akashvani ===
When the Indian State Broadcasting Service (ISBS) was renamed to All India Radio, [[Rabindranath Tagore]] rechristened it Akashvani, ''the voice that comes over from the skies'', in a poem penned for the inauguration of [[Kolkata]]'s shortwave service.<ref>{{cite news |title=Riding the waves, a shared history |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/riding-the-waves-a-shared-history/ |newspaper=[[Indian Express]] |archive-date=1 October 2021 |access-date=1 October 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211001133136/https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/riding-the-waves-a-shared-history/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |author=Chandrika Kaul |url=https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1057/9781137445964_4 |title='Invisible Empire Tie': Broadcasting and the British Raj in the Interwar Years |year=2014 |isbn=978-1-137-44596-4 |pages=123–171 |doi=10.1057/9781137445964_4 |archive-date=12 February 2023 |access-date=1 October 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230212053056/https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1057/9781137445964_4 |url-status=live }}</ref>


=={{anchor|Etymology}}Etymology==
The term Akashvani was also used in the context of radio by M. V. Gopalaswami in 1936 when he established India's first private radio station at his residence, "Vittal Vihar," located about 200 yards from the current All India Radio station in [[Mysore]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Mysore Akashavani is now 75 years old |url=http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/mysore-akashavani-is-now-75-years-old/408172/ |newspaper=[[Business Standard]] |archive-date=13 October 2012 |access-date=25 July 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121013185300/http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/mysore-akashavani-is-now-75-years-old/408172/ |url-status=live }}</ref> In 1956, ''Akashvani'' was adopted as All India Radio's on-air name. With its literal meaning in [[Sanskrit]] as "voice from the sky," the name was considered highly fitting for a broadcaster. The suggestion to use ''Akashvani'' was given to Gopalaswami by the Telugu/Kannada scholar [[Rallapalli Ananta Krishna Sharma]], who was working as a Telugu pandit in Mysore Maharaja College and later went onto tune [[Annamacharya]]'s kritis as well.
{{Main|Akashvani (word)}}


[[wiktionary:akashvani|Ākāśavānī]] (आकाशवाणी) is a [[Sanskrit]] word meaning 'celestial announcement' or 'voice from the sky/heaven'. In [[Hinduism]], [[Jainism]] and [[Buddhism]], Akashvanis are often featured in stories as a medium of communication from heaven to mankind.
=== During the British Raj ===
Broadcasting commenced in June 1923 during the [[British Raj]] with programmes by the [[Bombay Presidency Radio Club]] and other radio clubs. According to an agreement on 23 July 1927, the private Indian Broadcasting Company Ltd (IBC) was authorised to operate two radio stations: the [[Mumbai]] station, which began on 23 July 1927, and the [[Kolkata]] station, which followed suit on 26 August 1927. The organisation went into liquidation on 1 March 1930. The government took over broadcasting facilities and launched the Indian State Broadcasting Service (ISBS) on 1 April 1930, initially on an experimental basis for two years. It became a permanent service in May 1932 and was later renamed All India Radio on 8 June 1936.<ref name="Milestones" /> The building was contracted by [[Sobha Singh (builder)|Sir Sobha Singh]].<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LlnrAAAAMAAJ&q=%22all+india+radio%22+%22sir+sobha+singh%22 |title=Roopa-lekhā |date=1968 |publisher=All-India Fine Arts and Crafts Society |language=en |archive-date=11 December 2024 |access-date=28 September 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241211025633/https://books.google.com/books?id=LlnrAAAAMAAJ&q=%22all+india+radio%22+%22sir+sobha+singh%22 |url-status=live }}</ref>[[File:Akashvani Bhavan in New Delhi.jpg|right|thumb|AIR headquarters in [[New Delhi]]|alt=Distant photo of building complex with tower]][[File:Akashvani Bhawan, Parliament Street.jpg|thumb|Old Akashvani Bhawan at [[Sansad Marg]]]]
On 1 October 1939, the External Service began with a broadcast in [[Pashto]]. It was intended to counter radio [[propaganda]] from Germany directed at [[Afghanistan]], [[Iran]], and Arab nations. The [[Dhaka]] station in Eastern India, in what is now [[Bangladesh]], opened in 1939. This station catered to and nurtured the pioneers of Bengali intellectuals. The foremost among them, [[Nurul Momen|Natyaguru Nurul Momen]], became the trailblazer of the talk show in 1939. He wrote and directed the first modern radio play, "Rupantar (The Transformation)" for this station in 1942.{{Citation needed|date=August 2024}} This play was later published in 1943 Pooja Edition (Sharadia Issue) of [[Anandabazar Patrika]].


'Akashvani' was first used in the context of radio by M. V. Gopalaswami in 1936 after setting up India's first private radio station in his residence, "Vittal Vihar" (about two hundred yards from AIR's current [[Mysore]] radio station).<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/mysore-akashavani-is-now-75-years-old/408172/ |title=Mysore Akashavani is now 75 years old |newspaper=[[Business Standard]]}}</ref> ''Akashvani'' was later given as All India Radio's on-air name in 1957; given its literal meaning in Sanskrit, it was believed to be a more than suitable name for a broadcaster.
In December 1940, the Standing Finance Committee sanctioned a sum of [[Indian rupee|Rupees]] 9,30,000 for the establishment of a new headquarters of the All India Radio in Delhi.<ref>{{cite news |title=New Broadcasting House in Delhi |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=M80-AAAAIBAJ&dq=%E2%80%9CAll+India+radio%E2%80%9D+headquarters&pg=PA6 |access-date=2 May 2024 |publisher=The Indian Express |date=18 December 1940}}</ref> The new “Broadcasting House” of AIR at [[Sansad Marg|Parliament Street]] in New Delhi was inaugurated in February 1943.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Baruah |first1=UL |title=This is All India Radio |date=2017 |publisher=Publications Division Ministry of Information & Broadcasting |location=New Delhi |isbn=9788123025780 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ALA8DwAAQBAJ&dq=%E2%80%9CAll+India+Radio%E2%80%9D%2C+headquarters&pg=PT16 |access-date=2 May 2024}}</ref> In 1956, All India Radio (AIR) was officially renamed ''Akashvani'', and its headquarters were renamed ''Akashvani Bhawan''.<ref>{{cite web |title=1956 : AIR becomes Akashvani |url=https://frontline.thehindu.com/the-nation/india-at-75-epochal-moments-1956-voice-from-the-sky-air-becomes-akashvani/article65721527.ece |website=Frontline |date=11 August 2022 |publisher=The Hindu Group |access-date=2 May 2024 |archive-date=2 May 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240502063229/https://frontline.thehindu.com/the-nation/india-at-75-epochal-moments-1956-voice-from-the-sky-air-becomes-akashvani/article65721527.ece |url-status=live }}</ref>


==History==
=== After Independence ===
[[File:Akashvani Bhawan, Parliament Street.jpg|thumb|Old Akashvani Bhawan on Sansad Marg]]
When India became independent in 1947, the All India Radio network consisted of only six stations: [[Delhi]], [[Mumbai|Bombay]], [[Kolkata|Calcutta]], [[Chennai|Madras]], [[Lucknow]], and [[Tiruchirappalli]]. The three radio stations in [[Lahore]], [[Peshawar]], and [[Dhaka]] remained in what eventually became Pakistan after the partition. At that time, there were approximately 250,000 radio sets in India.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Varshney |first=Akanksha |date=2015-08-25 |title=Journey Of Radio In India |url=https://www.vskills.in/certification/blog/journey-of-radio-in-india/ |access-date=2024-09-25 |website=Vskills Blog |language=en-US |archive-date=25 September 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240925172025/https://www.vskills.in/certification/blog/journey-of-radio-in-india/ |url-status=live }}{{better source needed|date=September 2024}}</ref>
[[File:Akashvani Bhavan in New Delhi.jpg|right|thumb|AIR headquarters in [[New Delhi]]|alt=Distant photo of building complex with tower]]
[[File:Radio Television License India - 1976.pdf|thumb| Radio Television License]]
Broadcasting began in June 1923 during the [[British Raj]] with programs by the [[Bombay Presidency Radio Club]] and other radio clubs. According to an agreement on 23 July 1927, the private Indian Broadcasting Company Ltd (IBC) was authorized to operate two radio stations: the [[Bombay]] station which began on 23 July 1927, and the [[Calcutta]] station which followed on 26 August 1927. The company went into liquidation on 1 March 1930. The government took over the broadcasting facilities and began the Indian State Broadcasting Service (ISBS) on 1 April 1930 on an experimental basis for two years, and permanently in May 1932 it then went on to become All India Radio on 8 June 1936.<ref name=Milestones/>  


In August 1947, All India Radio hired its first female newsreader, [[Saeeda Bano]], who read the news in [[Urdu]].<ref>{{Cite web|last=Najib|first=Rihan|title=To end the news, the headlines again: The life and times of Saeeda Bano|url=https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/blink/read/to-end-the-news-the-headlines-again-the-life-and-times-of-saeeda-bano/article33160779.ece|access-date=2021-03-04|website=@businessline|language=en}}</ref>
In August 1947, All India Radio hired its first female newsreader, [[Saeeda Bano]], who read the news in [[Urdu]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Najib |first=Rihan |title=To end the news, the headlines again: The life and times of Saeeda Bano |url=https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/blink/read/to-end-the-news-the-headlines-again-the-life-and-times-of-saeeda-bano/article33160779.ece |access-date=2021-03-04 |website=@businessline |date=23 November 2020 |language=en}}</ref>


On 1 October 1939, the External Service began with a broadcast in [[Pashto language|Pushtu]]. It was intended to counter radio [[propaganda]] from Germany directed at [[Afghanistan]], Persia and Arab nations. 1939 also saw the opening of the [[Dhaka]] station of Eastern India, in what is now [[Bangladesh]]. This station catered and nurtured the pioneers of Bengali intellectuals. The foremost among them, [[Natyaguru]] [[Nurul Momen]], became the trail-blazer of the talk-show in 1939. He wrote and directed the first modern radio-play for this station in 1942. When India became independent in 1947, the AIR network had only six stations ([[Delhi]], [[Mumbai]], [[Calcutta]], [[Chennai]], [[Lucknow]], and [[Tiruchirappalli]]). The three radio stations at [[Lahore]], [[Peshawar]] and [[Dhaka]] remained in what became Pakistan after the division. The total number of radio sets in India at that time was about 275,000. On 3 October 1957, the ''[[Vividh Bharati]]'' Service was launched, to compete with [[Radio Ceylon]]. Television broadcasting began in Delhi in 1959 as part of AIR, but was split off from the radio network as ''[[Doordarshan]]'' on 1 April 1976.<ref>{{cite journal|url=http://allindiaradio.org/Misc/AIR-Manual1/Chapter1.pdf |title=AIR Manual, Chapter 1: History of All India Radio |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100917064450/http://allindiaradio.org/Misc/AIR-Manual1/Chapter1.pdf |archive-date=17 September 2010 }}</ref> FM broadcasting began on 23 July 1977 in [[Chennai]], and expanded during the 1990s.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://allindiaradio.org/milestone.html |title=Milestones of AIR |publisher=All India Radio |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100612212622/http://allindiaradio.org/milestone.html |archive-date=12 June 2010 }}</ref>
On 3 October 1957, the [[Vividh Bharati]] service was launched by All India Radio to compete with [[Radio Ceylon]]. The total capital invested by the All India Radio so far on the experimental Television service inaugurated on 5 September 1959 is about Rs. 2.14 lakhs, eight commercial licenses and four domestic licenses for television receiver sets have so far been issued by the Posts and Telegraphs Department.<ref>https://eparlib.nic.in/bitstream/123456789/1783/1/lsd_02_09_19-11-1959.pdf page 27</ref> Television broadcasting commenced in Delhi in 1959 under the aegis of AIR, but was split off from the radio network as ''[[Doordarshan]]'' on 1 April 1976.<ref>{{cite journal|url=http://allindiaradio.org/Misc/AIR-Manual1/Chapter1.pdf |title=Chapter 1: History of All India Radio |journal=AIR Manual |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100917064450/http://allindiaradio.org/Misc/AIR-Manual1/Chapter1.pdf |archive-date=17 September 2010 }}</ref> FM broadcasting began on 23 July 1977 in [[Chennai]], and expanded during the 1990s.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://allindiaradio.org/milestone.html |title=Milestones of AIR |publisher=All India Radio |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100612212622/http://allindiaradio.org/milestone.html |archive-date=12 June 2010 }}</ref>


[[Deccan Radio (Nizam Radio 1932)]], the first radio station in [[Hyderabad State]] (now [[Hyderabad, India]]), went live on air on 3 February 1935. It was launched by [[Mir Osman Ali Khan]] the 7th [[Nizam]] of Hyderabad with a transmitting power of 200 [[Watt]]s. On 1 April 1950, Deccan Radio was taken over by the Indian Government, and in 1956 it was merged with All India Radio (AIR). Since then, it has been known as AIR-Hyderabad (100&nbsp;kW).<ref name="Wavescan2">{{cite web|title=The Long and Interesting Story of All India Radio, Hyderabad–Part 2|url=http://yimber-gaviria.blogspot.com/2010/08/wavescan-nws78-dx-program.html|work=Wavescan-NWS78|date=15 August 2010}}</ref>
[[Deccan Radio (Nizam Radio 1932)]], the first radio station in the princely [[Hyderabad State]] (now [[Hyderabad]]), went live on 3 February 1935. It was launched by [[Mir Osman Ali Khan]], the seventh [[Nizam]] of Hyderabad, boasting of a transmitting power of 200 [[Watt]]s. On 1 April 1950, after [[Annexation of Hyderabad|Operation Polo]], Deccan Radio was taken over by the Indian Government, and in 1956, it was merged with All India Radio. Thereafter, it has been known as AIR-Hyderabad (100&nbsp;kW).<ref name="Wavescan2">{{cite web|title=The Long and Interesting Story of All India Radio, Hyderabad–Part 2|url=http://yimber-gaviria.blogspot.com/2010/08/wavescan-nws78-dx-program.html|work=Wavescan-NWS78|date=15 August 2010|access-date=21 September 2018|archive-date=21 September 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180921153048/http://yimber-gaviria.blogspot.com/2010/08/wavescan-nws78-dx-program.html|url-status=live}}</ref>[[File:Radio Television License India - 1976.pdf|thumb|Radio Television license]]


=={{anchor|Broadcasting services}}Domestic services==
=={{anchor|Broadcasting services}}Domestic services==
AIR has many services in a number of languages, each serving different regions across India.
AIR offers a variety of services in multiple languages, each catering to different regions across India.


===Vividh Bharati===
===Vividh Bharati===
[[Vividh Bharati]] is one of the best-known services of All India Radio. Its name roughly translates as "Diverse Indian". It is also known as the Commercial Broadcasting Service or CBS. Commercially, it is the most accessible AIR network and is popular in [[Mumbai]] and other large cities. Vividh Bharati offers a wide range of programs including news, film music, short plays, music and comedy. It operates on different [[medium wave]]-band as well as [[FM broadcasting|FM]] frequencies in each city. Vividh Bharati service started in 1957.
[[Vividh Bharati]], launched in 1957, is one of the most well-known services of All India Radio. Its name roughly translates to "Diverse Indian" and is also referred to as the Commercial Broadcasting Service (CBS). Commercially, it is the most accessible AIR network, particularly popular in [[Mumbai]] and other large cities. Vividh Bharati offers a wide range of programs, including news, film music, short plays, music, and comedy. It operates on various [[Medium wave|mediumwave]] and [[FM broadcasting|FM]] frequencies in each city.


Some programs broadcast on Vividh Bharati are:
Some programmes broadcast on Vividh Bharati are:
* ''[[Hawa Mahal (radio program)|Hawa-mahal]]'': [[Radio play]]s based on novels and plays
* ''[[Hawa Mahal (radio program)|Hawa-mahal]]'': [[Radio drama]] based on novels and plays
* ''Santogen ki mehfil'': Comedy
* ''Santogen ki mehfil'': Comedy
* ''Aaj ke fankar'': description of life and works of a film artist
* ''Aaj ke fankar'': Description of life and works of a film artist
* ''Chhayageet'': songs of announcer's choice with impeccable scripting
* ''Chhayageet'': Songs of announcer's choice with impeccable scripting


===Central Sales Unit===
===Central Sales Unit===
Central Sales Unit (CSU) is single window services of All India Radio for commercial purposes. Its name roughly translates as "Centralised Sales Unit". It is situated in Mumbai. http://prasarbharati.gov.in/AIRCSUContact.php
The Central Sales Unit (CSU), located in Mumbai, handles the commercial affairs of AIR.<ref>{{Cite web|title= Get Apps &#124; Prasar Bharati|url= http://prasarbharati.gov.in/AIRCSUContact.php|access-date= 31 December 2020|archive-date= 3 December 2020|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20201203231104/http://prasarbharati.gov.in/AIRCSUContact.php|url-status= live}}</ref>


===Other services===
===Other services===
* Primary Channel<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://allindiaradio.gov.in/Services/Pages/Primary%20Channel%20Services.aspx|title=Primary Channel Services|website=allindiaradio.gov.in|access-date=2018-07-30}}</ref>
* Primary Channel<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://allindiaradio.gov.in/Services/Pages/Primary%20Channel%20Services.aspx|title=Primary Channel Services|website=allindiaradio.gov.in|access-date=2018-07-30|archive-date=13 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160313143425/http://allindiaradio.gov.in/Services/Pages/Primary%20Channel%20Services.aspx|url-status=live}}</ref>
* National Channel<ref>{{cite web
* National Channel<ref>{{cite web
  |url=http://allindiaradio.gov.in/Services/National+Channel  
  |url=http://allindiaradio.gov.in/Services/National+Channel  
Line 51: Line 95:


==={{anchor|Home Service}}Regional services===
==={{anchor|Home Service}}Regional services===
The headquarters of the Regional Deputy Directors General are located in Delhi and Chandigarh (NR), Lucknow and Bhopal (CR), Guwahati (NER), Kolkata (ER), Mumbai and Ahmedabad (WR), Chennai and Bangalore (SR).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://india.gov.in/knowindia/radio.php |title=All India Radio |access-date=15 October 2011 |publisher=Know India |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110903183957/http://india.gov.in/knowindia/radio.php |archive-date=3 September 2011 }}</ref> All frequencies are in kHz, unless otherwise noted. Most of the channels are also available online.
The headquarters of the Regional Deputy Directors General are located in Delhi and Chandigarh (NR), Lucknow and Bhopal (CR), Guwahati (NER), Kolkata (ER), Mumbai and Ahmedabad (WR), and Chennai and Bangalore (SR).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://india.gov.in/knowindia/radio.php |title=All India Radio |access-date=15 October 2011 |publisher=Know India |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110903183957/http://india.gov.in/knowindia/radio.php |archive-date=3 September 2011 }}</ref> All frequencies are in kHz, unless otherwise specified. Most of the channels are also available online.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%;"
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%;"
|+ Northern regional service
|+ Northern regional service
Line 65: Line 109:
|-
|-
| Diskit || 1602 || Faizabad || 1485 || Gorakhpur || 909
| Diskit || 1602 || Faizabad || 1485 || Gorakhpur || 909
|-
|-
| Jaipur A || 1476 || Jalandhar A ||873 || Jalandhar B || 702
| Jaipur A || 1476 || Jalandhar A ||873 || Jalandhar B || 702
Line 80: Line 125:
| Padam || 1584 || Pauri || 1602 || Pithoragarh || 1602
| Padam || 1584 || Pauri || 1602 || Pithoragarh || 1602
|-
|-
| Rampur || 891 || Rohtak || 1143 ||Shimla || 774
| Rampur || 891 || Rohtak || FM 103.5&nbsp;MHz ||Shimla || 774
|-
|-
| Budgam|| 1116 || Budgam A|| 1224 || Srinagar C|| 918
| Budgam|| 1116 || Budgam A|| 1224 || Srinagar C|| 918
Line 95: Line 140:
| Agartala || 1269 || Guwahati A || 729
| Agartala || 1269 || Guwahati A || 729
|-
|-
| Shillong || 864 || Imphal || 882
| Shillong || 864 kHz (100&nbsp;kW; Primary Channel; 1966–present), 4970 kHz (50&nbsp;kW; NE Service; 1990-2019; decommissioned<ref>{{Cite news |last=Nair |first=Sobhana K. |date=2019-06-06 |title=AIR may have to power off short wave transmissions |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/air-may-have-to-power-off-short-wave-transmissions/article27584333.ece |access-date=2025-10-05 |work=The Hindu |language=en-IN |issn=0971-751X}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Dutta |first=Amrita Nayak |date=2019-06-07 |title=Prasar Bharati wants to switch off AIR short-wave service, India's voice around the world |url=https://theprint.in/india/prasar-bharati-wants-to-switch-off-air-short-wave-service-indias-voice-around-the-world/246696/ |access-date=2025-10-05 |website=ThePrint |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Gupta |first=Alokesh |date=2019-09-04 |title=R A D I O A C T I V I T Y: All India Radio Kurseong,Port Blair,Mumbai & Shillong shortwave transmitters decommissioned |url=https://alokeshgupta.blogspot.com/2019/09/all-india-radio-kurseong-port-blair.html |access-date=2025-10-05 |website=R A D I O A C T I V I T Y}}</ref>), 7315 kHz (50&nbsp;kW; NE Service; 2000s/2010s-2019; decommissioned), FM 100.1&nbsp;MHz (100W; NE Service; 2012–present), FM 103.6&nbsp;MHz (10&nbsp;kW; Primary Channel: 2023-2025; FM Jong Phi*: 2010-2023,<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-08-07 |title=OFF AIR: Popular FM Jongphi station axed after 13 years {{!}} Highland Post |url=https://highlandpost.com/off-air-popular-fm-jongphi-station-axed-after-13-years/ |access-date=2025-10-05 |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Instagram |url=https://www.instagram.com/reel/cvnhdbttyvk/ |access-date=2025-10-05 |website=www.instagram.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Instagram |url=https://www.instagram.com/p/cvpzbfxruqn/ |access-date=2025-10-05 |website=www.instagram.com}}</ref> 2025–present<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-05-17 |title=Mapping forward on Geospatial intelligence? - The Shillong Times |url=https://theshillongtimes.com/2025/05/17/mapping-forward-on-geospatial-intelligence/ |access-date=2025-10-05 |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=AIR |url=https://qsl.net/vu2jos/air/loc.htm |access-date=2025-10-05 |website=qsl.net}}</ref>) || Imphal || 882
|}
|}
 
<nowiki>*</nowiki>Prior to Saturday, the 2nd of October, 2010, it is formerly known as Akashvani FM Rainbow Shillong, which relays to Akashvani FM Rainbow Delhi. Since that date, it became a full fledged radio station and it broadcasts its own programmes.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%;"
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%;"
|+ Eastern regional service
|+ Eastern regional service
Line 108: Line 153:
| Jamshedpur || 1584 || Gitanjali (Kolkata A)(200 KW Transmitter Capacity) || 657  
| Jamshedpur || 1584 || Gitanjali (Kolkata A)(200 KW Transmitter Capacity) || 657  
|-
|-
| Sanchayita (Kolkata B)(100 KW Transmitter Capacity) || 1008  || Kolkata C (''Vividh Bharati'') || 1323&nbsp;kHz Medium Wave as well as 101.8&nbsp;MHZ&nbsp;FM ||
| Sanchayita (Kolkata B)(100 KW Transmitter Capacity) || 1008  || Kolkata C (''Vividh Bharati'') || 1323&nbsp;kHz Medium Wave as well as 101.8&nbsp;MHZ&nbsp;FM
|-
|-
| Patna A || 621 || Ranchi A || 549
| Patna A || 621 || Ranchi A || 549
Line 137: Line 182:
| Chhatarpur || 675 || Gwalior || 1386
| Chhatarpur || 675 || Gwalior || 1386
|-
|-
| Indore A || 648 || Jabalpur A || 801 || Jabalpur Vividh Bharati || 102.9 ||Jalgaon || 963
| Indore A || 648 || Jabalpur A || 801  
|-
|-
| Mumbai A || 1044 || Mumbai B (''Asmita Marathi'') || 558
| Mumbai A || 1044 || Mumbai B (''Asmita Marathi'') || 558
Line 152: Line 197:
|-
|-
| Parbhani A || FM 102.0&nbsp;MHz
| Parbhani A || FM 102.0&nbsp;MHz
|Jabalpur Vividh Bharati
|102.9
|-
|-
| Mysore || FM 100.6&nbsp;MHz
| Mysore || FM 100.6&nbsp;MHz
|Jalgaon
|963
|}
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%;"
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%;"
Line 159: Line 208:
! style="width:40%;"|City !! style="width:10%;"|Frequency !! style="width:40%;"|City !! style="width:10%;"|Frequency
! style="width:40%;"|City !! style="width:10%;"|Frequency !! style="width:40%;"|City !! style="width:10%;"|Frequency
|-
|-
| Bengaluru || 612 kHz || Bengaluru(Vivida Bharati) || 102.9 MHz
| Bangalore || 612&nbsp;kHz || Bengaluru (Vividha Bharati) || 102.9&nbsp;MHz
|-
|-
| Bangalore(Rainbow FM) || 101.3 MHz || Bhadravati || 675kHz
| Bangalore (Rainbow FM) || 101.3&nbsp;MHz || Bhadravati || 675&nbsp;kHz
|-
|-
| Dharwad || 765 kHz || Dharwad FM ||103.0 MHz
| Dharwad || 765&nbsp;kHz || Dharwad FM ||103.0&nbsp;MHz
|-
|-
| Hassan || 1107 kHZ || Kalburagi || 1107kHz
| Hassan || 1107 kHZ || Kalburagi || 1107&nbsp;kHz
|-  
|-  
| Mangaluru || 1089 kHz || Mangalore FM || 100.3 MHz
| Mangaluru || 1089&nbsp;kHz || Mangalore FM || 100.3&nbsp;MHz
|-
|-
| Madikeri FM || 103.1MHz || Sringeri FM ||101 MHz
| Madikeri FM || 103.1&nbsp;MHz || Sringeri FM ||101&nbsp;MHz
|-
|-
|Vijayawada
|Hyderabad || 738&nbsp;kHz || Hyderabad (FM Rainbow) || 101.9&nbsp;MHz
|103.4MHz
|-
|
|Hyderabad (Vivida Bharati) || 102.8&nbsp;MHz || Warangal || 103.5&nbsp;MHz
|
|-
|}<ref>{{cite web|url=https://prasarbharati.gov.in/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/AR-Prasar-Bharati-english-2018-19-english.pdf|title=Annual Report 2018-2019, page 193|access-date=21 March 2021}}</ref>
|Vijayawada || 103.4&nbsp;MHz
|}<ref>{{cite web|url=https://prasarbharati.gov.in/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/AR-Prasar-Bharati-english-2018-19-english.pdf|title=Annual Report 2018-2019, page 193|access-date=21 March 2021|archive-date=6 July 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210706063404/https://prasarbharati.gov.in/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/AR-Prasar-Bharati-english-2018-19-english.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref>


==External services==
==External services==
The external services of All India Radio are broadcast in 27 languages to countries outside India via high-power [[shortwave band]] broadcasts. [[Medium wave]] is also used to reach neighbouring countries. In addition to broadcasts targeted at specific countries by language, there is a General Overseas Service broadcasting in [[English language|English]] with 8¼ hours of programming each day aimed at a general international audience. The external broadcasts were begun on 1 October 1939 by the British government to counter the propaganda of the Nazis directed at the [[Afghan]] people. The first broadcasts were in [[Pushto]], beamed to Afghanistan and the [[Khyber Pakhtunkhwa|North-West Frontier Province]]. Broadcasts soon began in other languages including: [[Dari]], [[Persian language|Persian]], [[Arabic]], English, [[Burmese language|Burmese]], [[Japanese language|Japanese]], [[Chinese language|Chinese]], [[Malay language|Malay]] and [[French language|French]]. The external services broadcast in 16 foreign and 11 Indian languages, with a total program output of 70¼ hours per day on medium and shortwave frequencies.
{{More citations needed|date=August 2024}}
The external services of All India Radio are broadcast in 27 languages to countries outside India via high-power shortwave radio transmissions.<ref name="t766">{{cite web | title=Wayback Machine | website=www.eoiukraine.gov.in | url=https://www.eoiukraine.gov.in/pdf/AIR.pdf | access-date=6 September 2025}}</ref> Mediumwave is also used to reach neighboring countries. In addition to language-specific broadcasts targeted at particular countries, there is a General Overseas Service that broadcasts in English, offering 8¼ hours of programming daily aimed at a general international audience.
 
The external broadcasts began on 1 October 1939, initiated by the British government to counter Nazi propaganda directed at the Afghan people. Initially, the broadcasts were in [[Pashto]], targeting Afghanistan and the [[North-West Frontier Province]]. Over time, broadcasts expanded to include languages such as [[Dari]], [[Persian language|Persian]], [[Arabic]], English, Burmese, Japanese, Chinese, Malay, and French. Currently, the external services broadcast in 16 foreign languages and 11 Indian languages, with a total program output of 70¼ hours per day on medium and shortwave frequencies.


{| class="wikitable sortable"
{| class="wikitable sortable"
Line 214: Line 267:
| Rajkot (SPT)|| 1 || 1000|| 1071&nbsp;kHz AIR URDU || 1080&nbsp;kHz (2 MW) Vividha Bharti
| Rajkot (SPT)|| 1 || 1000|| 1071&nbsp;kHz AIR URDU || 1080&nbsp;kHz (2 MW) Vividha Bharti
|-
|-
| Tuticorin || 1 || 200 || 1053 &nbsp;kHz || MW
| Tuticorin || 1 || 200 || 1053&nbsp;kHz || MW
|}
|}


Two high powered FM stations of All India Radio are being installed in Amritsar and Fazilka in the Punjab to supplement the programs broadcast from transmitters operating from Jalandhar, New Delhi, Chandigarh and Mumbai and to improve the broadcast services during unfavourable weather conditions in the border regions of Punjab.
Two high-powered FM stations of All India Radio are being installed in Amritsar and Fazilka, Punjab, to complement the programs broadcast from transmitters in Jalandhar, New Delhi, Chandigarh, and Mumbai. These stations aim to improve broadcast services, particularly during unfavorable weather conditions, in the border regions of Punjab.
 
Today, the External Services Division of All India Radio broadcasts 57 transmissions daily, offering nearly 72 hours of programming that reaches over 108 countries in 27 languages. Of these, 15 are foreign languages and 12 are Indian. The foreign languages include Arabic, Baluchi, Burmese, Chinese, Dari, French, Indonesian, Persian, Pushtu, Russian, Sinhala, Swahili, Thai, Tibetan, and English (General Overseas Service). The Indian languages are Bengali, Gujarati, Marathi, Konkani, Kashmiri, Hindi, Kannada, Malayalam, Nepali, Punjabi, Saraiki, Sindhi, Tamil, Telugu, and Urdu.


Today, the External Services Division of All India Radio broadcasts daily with 57 transmissions with almost 72 hours or programming covering over 108 countries in 27 languages, of which 15 are foreign and 12 Indian. The foreign languages are: Arabic, Baluchi, Burmese, Chinese, Dari, French, Indonesian, Persian, Pushtu, Russian, Sinhala, Swahili, Thai, Tibetan and English (General Overseas Service). The Indian languages are Bengali, Gujarati, Marathi, Konkani, Kashmiri, Hindi, Kannada, Malayalam, Nepali, Punjabi, Saraiki, Sindhi, Tamil, Telugu and Urdu.
The longest daily broadcast is the Urdu Service to Pakistan, which airs around the clock on DTH ([[Satellite television|direct-broadcast satellite]]) and on short- and medium-wave for 12¼ hours. The English-language General Overseas Service is broadcast for 8¼ hours daily. During [[Hajj]], special broadcasts in Urdu are beamed to Saudi Arabia. Additionally, AIR is planning to produce programs in the [[Balochistan, Pakistan|Balochi]] language.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.business-standard.com/article/news-ians/all-india-radio-to-revamp-baluchi-language-programme-116083101302_1.html|title=All India Radio to revamp Baluchi language programme|last=IANS|date=31 August 2016|work=Business Standard|access-date=8 May 2025|archive-date=11 December 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241211025733/https://www.business-standard.com/article/news-ians/all-india-radio-to-revamp-baluchi-language-programme-116083101302_1.html|url-status=live}}</ref>


The longest daily broadcast is the Urdu Service to Pakistan, around the clock on DTH ([[direct-broadcast satellite]]) and on short- and medium wave for 12¼ hrs. The English-language General Overseas Service is broadcast 8¼ hours daily. During [[Hajj]], there are special broadcasts beamed to Saudi Arabia in Urdu. AIR is planning to produce programmes in the [[Baluchi language]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.business-standard.com/article/news-ians/all-india-radio-to-revamp-baluchi-language-programme-116083101302_1.html|title=All India Radio to revamp Baluchi language programme|last=IANS|date=31 August 2016|work=Business Standard}}</ref>
The external services of All India Radio (AIR) are also broadcast to Europe in DRM ([[Digital Radio Mondiale]]) on 9950&nbsp;kHz between 17:45 and 22:30 UTC. These transmissions are delivered via high-power transmitters located in Aligarh, Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Gorakhpur, Guwahati, Mumbai, and Panaji on shortwave, and from Jalandhar, Kolkata, Nagpur, Rajkot, and Tuticorin on mediumwave. All India Radio Amritsar plans to launch a booster service on the FM band. Some of these transmitters have a power output of 1000&nbsp;kW (1 MW) or 500&nbsp;kW. Programs are broadcast to various parts of the world, excluding the Americas, with very good reception quality in the target areas.


The external services of AIR are also broadcast to Europe in DRM ([[Digital Radio Mondiale]]) on 9950&nbsp;kHz between 1745 and 2230 UTC. These external transmissions are broadcast by high-power transmitters located at Aligarh, Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Gorakhpur, Guwahati, Mumbai and Panaji on shortwave and from Jalandhar, Kolkata, Nagpur, Rajkot and Tuticorin on medium wave. Soon All India Radio Amritsar will also start a booster service on the FM band. Some of these transmitters are 1000&nbsp;kW (1&nbsp;MW) or 500&nbsp;kW. Programs are beamed to different parts of the world except for the Americas and the reception quality is very good in the target areas. In each language service, the program consists of news, commentary, a press review, talks on matters of general or cultural interest, feature programmes, documentaries and music from India and the target region. Most programs originate at New Broadcasting House on Parliament Street in New Delhi, with a few originating at SPT Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, Jalandhar, Kolkata, HPT Malad Mumbai, Thiruvananthapuram and Tuticorin.
Each language service includes news, commentary, press reviews, talks on general or cultural topics, feature programs, documentaries, and music from India and the target region. Most of these programs originate from New Broadcasting House on Parliament Street in New Delhi, with some originating from SPT Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, Jalandhar, Kolkata, HPT Malad Mumbai, Thiruvananthapuram, and Tuticorin.


The External Services Division of AIR is a link between India and rest of the world, especially in countries with Indian emigrants and [[Non-resident Indian and person of Indian origin|people of Indian origin]]. It broadcasts the Indian point of view on matters of national and international importance, and demonstrates the Indian way of life through its programs. [[QSL cards]] (which are sought-after by international radio hobbyists) are issued to radio hobbyists by AIR in New Delhi for [[reception report]]s of their broadcasts.
The External Services Division of All India Radio (AIR) serves as a vital link between India and the rest of the world, particularly in countries with significant [[Indian diaspora]]. It broadcasts India's perspective on national and international matters and showcases the Indian way of life through its programs. [[QSL card]]s, which are highly sought after by international radio hobbyists, are issued by AIR in New Delhi in response to [[reception report]]s of their broadcasts.


==Direct-To-Home==
==Direct-To-Home==
Direct-to-home (DTH) service is a satellite broadcast service in which a large number of radio channels are digitally beamed down over a territory from a high-power satellite. AIR broadcasts various national and regional stations available to listen on [[DD Free Dish]]. The DTH signals can be received directly at homes using a small-sized dish receiver unit containing a dish antenna installed on a building's rooftop or on a wall facing clear south and one indoors.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ddindia.gov.in/Technical/Pages/DD-Free-Dish-(DTH).aspx|title=DD Free Dish (DTH)|website=ddindia.gov.in|access-date=2016-07-21|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160719233025/http://www.ddindia.gov.in/Technical/Pages/DD-Free-Dish-(DTH).aspx|archive-date=19 July 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref> DTH service is offered on twenty one channels via [[Indian National Satellite System|Insat]].
Direct-to-home (DTH) service is a satellite broadcast service where a large number of radio channels are digitally transmitted over a territory from a high-power satellite. All India Radio broadcasts various national and regional stations, which can be accessed on [[DD Free Dish]]. The DTH signals can be received directly at homes using a small dish receiver unit, which includes a dish antenna installed on the rooftop or a wall facing clear south, with the receiver placed indoors.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ddindia.gov.in/Technical/Pages/DD-Free-Dish-(DTH).aspx|title=DD Free Dish (DTH)|website=ddindia.gov.in|access-date=2016-07-21|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160719233025/http://www.ddindia.gov.in/Technical/Pages/DD-Free-Dish-(DTH).aspx|archive-date=19 July 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref> DTH service is offered on twenty one channels via [[Indian National Satellite System|Insat]].


===List of DTH channels===
===List of DTH channels===
====National====
====National====
* [[Vividh Bharati]] – Hindi Music Radio
* [[Vividh Bharati]] – Hindi music radio
* [[AIR FM Rainbow|AIR FM Rainbow India]] – Hindi & English Music Radio
* [[AIR FM Rainbow|AIR FM Rainbow India]] – Hindi & English music radio
* [[AIR FM Gold|AIR FM Gold Delhi]] – Classic Hindi Music & News Radio
* [[AIR FM Gold|AIR FM Gold Delhi]] – Hindi classical music & news Radio
* [[AIR Live News 24×7]] – Hindi & English News Radio
* AIR Live News 24×7 – Hindi & English news radio
* [[AIR Urdu]] – Urdu Entertainment Radio
* AIR Urdu – Urdu entertainment radio
* [[Raagam (radio channel)|Raagam]] – Indian Classical Music Radio
* AIR Hindi – Hindi entertainment radio
* [[Gyan Vani]] – Hindi & English Educational Radio
* [[Raagam (radio channel)|Raagam]] – Indian classical music radio
* [[Gyan Vani]] – Hindi & English educational radio
* Akashvani Aradhana – Hindi devotional radio


===Regional===
===Regional===
* AIR Assamese
* AIR Andhra – [[Telugu language|Telugu]]
* AIR Bangla
* AIR Arunachal – [[Hindi]] and [[Nyishi language|Nyishi]]
* AIR Gujarati
* AIR Assam – [[Assamese language|Assamese]]
* AIR Hindi
* AIR Bihar – Hindi and [[Bhojpuri language|Bhojpuri]]
* AIR Kannada
* AIR Chhattisgarh – Hindi and [[Chhattisgarhi language|Chhattisgarhi]]
* AIR Malayalam
* AIR Goa – [[Konkani language|Konkani]] and [[Portuguese language|Portuguese]]
* AIR Marathi
* AIR Gujarat – [[Gujarati language|Gujarati]]
* AIR Odia
* AIR Haryana – Hindi and [[Haryanvi language|Haryanvi]]
* AIR Punjabi
* AIR Himachal – [[Hindi]]
* AIR Tamil
* [[Radio Kashmir Jammu|AIR Jammu]] – [[Dogri language|Dogri]]
* AIR Telugu
* AIR Jharkhand – Hindi
* AIR Agartala – [[Bengali language|Bengali]] & [[Kokborok]]
* AIR Karnataka – [[Kannada]]
* AIR Aizawl – [[Mizo language|Mizo]]
* AIR Kerala – [[Malayalam]]
* AIR Bhopal – [[Hindi]]
* AIR Ladakh – [[Ladakhi language|Ladakhi]]  
* AIR Dehradun – [[Hindi]]
* AIR Maharashtra – [[Marathi language|Marathi]]
* AIR Gangtok – [[Nepali language|Nepali]]
* AIR Manipur – [[Meitei language|Manipuri]]
* AIR Imphal – [[Meitei language|Manipuri]]
* AIR Meghalaya – [[Khasi language|Khasi]], [[Garo language|Garo]] and [[English language|English]]
* AIR Itanagar – [[Hindi]] & [[Nishi language|Nyishi]]
* AIR Mizoram – [[Mizo language|Mizo]]
* AIR Jaipur – [[Hindi]] & [[Rajasthani language|Rajasthani]]
* AIR MP – [[Hindi]]
* [[Radio Kashmir Jammu|AIR Jammu]] – [[Dogri]] & [[Hindi]]
* [[AIR FM Tragopan|AIR Nagaland]] – [[Nagamese Creole|Nagamese]] and English
* [[AIR FM Tragopan|AIR Kohima]] – [[Nagamese]] & [[English language|English]]
* AIR North East – Hindi and English
* AIR Leh – [[Ladakhi language|Ladakhi]]
* AIR Odisha – [[Odia language|Odia]]
* AIR Lucknow – [[Hindi]] & [[Urdu]]
* AIR Port Blair – Hindi
* AIR North East – [[Hindi]] & [[English language|English]]
* AIR Puducherry – [[Tamil language|Tamil]] and [[French language|French]]
* AIR Panaji - [[Konkani]] & [[Marathi language|Marathi]]
* AIR Punjab – [[Punjabi language|Punjabi]]
* AIR Patna – [[Hindi]]
* AIR Rajasthan – Hindi and [[Rajasthani language|Rajasthani]]
* AIR Port Blair - [[Hindi]]
* AIR Sikkim – [[Nepali language|Nepali]]
* AIR Puducherry - [[Tamil language|Tamil]]
* [[Radio Kashmir Jammu|AIR Srinagar]] – [[Kashmiri language|Kashmiri]] and [[Urdu]]
* AIR Raipur – [[Hindi]] & [[Chhattisgarhi]]
* AIR Tamil Nadu – [[Tamil language|Tamil]]
* AIR Ranchi – [[Hindi]]
* AIR Telangana – [[Telugu language|Telugu]]
* AIR Rohtak – [[Hindi]]
* AIR Tripura – [[Bengali language|Bengali]] and [[Kokborok]]
* AIR Shillong – [[Khasi language|Khasi]] & [[English language|English]]
* AIR UP – [[Hindi]]
* AIR Shimla – [[Hindi]]
* AIR Uttarakhand – Hindi
* [[AIR Srinagar]] – [[Kashmiri language|Kashmiri]] & [[Urdu]]
* AIR Varanasi – Hindi
* AIR Vijayawada – [[Telugu language|Telugu]]
* AIR West Bengal – [[Bengali language|Bengali]]


==Online services==
==Online services==
* AIR Live News
* AIR Live News
* KASHMIR ONLINE RADIO
* AIR Najibabad
* [[Vividh Bharati]]
* [https://www.radioindialive.com/vividh-bharti-live Vividh Bharati]
* [[AIR FM Gold|FM Gold Delhi]]
* [https://www.radioindialive.com/air-fm-gold-delhi FM Gold Delhi]
* [[AIR FM Rainbow|FM Rainbow Delhi]]
* [https://www.radioindialive.com/air-fm-rainbow-delhi-live-streaming FM Rainbow Delhi]
* AIR Urdu
* AIR Urdu
* [[Raagam (radio channel)|Raagam]]
* [[Raagam (radio channel)|Raagam]]
Line 298: Line 355:
* AIR North East
* AIR North East
* [[AIR FM Tragopan|FM Tragopan Kohima]]
* [[AIR FM Tragopan|FM Tragopan Kohima]]
* [[FM Rainbow Goa]]
* FM Rainbow Goa
* AIR Shimla
* AIR Shimla
* AIR Bhuj
* AIR Bhuj
Line 304: Line 361:
* AIR Mysuru
* AIR Mysuru
* AIR Jodhpur
* AIR Jodhpur
* [[Amrutvarshini]]
* Amrutvarshini
* [[Vividh Bharati Bengaluru]]
* Vividh Bharati Bengaluru
* [[FM Rainbow Kannada Kaamaanbilu]]
* FM Rainbow Kannada Kaamaanbilu
* AIR Bengaluru
* AIR Bengaluru
* [[Sun City FM Jodhpur]]
* Sun City FM Jodhpur
* AIR Pune
* AIR Pune
* AIR Rohtak
* AIR Rohtak
* [[FM Rainbow Lucknow]]
* FM Rainbow Lucknow
* AIR Jabalpur
* AIR Jabalpur
* AIR Bhopal
* AIR Bhopal
* [[AIR FM Rainbow|FM Rainbow Mumbai]]
* [[AIR FM Rainbow|FM Rainbow Mumbai]]
* [[AIR FM Gold|FM Gold Mumbai]]
* [[AIR FM Gold|FM Gold Mumbai]]
* [[Samvadita Mumbai]]
* Samvadita Mumbai
* AIR Aadilabad
* AIR Aadilabad
* AIR Jaipur
* AIR Jaipur
Line 336: Line 393:
* AIR Kolhapur
* AIR Kolhapur
* AIR Suratgarh
* AIR Suratgarh
* [[FM Rainbow Visakhapatnam]]
* [https://liveradiofm.com/listen/fm-rainbow-visakhapatnam FM Rainbow Visakhapatnam]
* AIR Kurnool
* AIR Kurnool
* AIR Bikaner
* AIR Bikaner
Line 343: Line 400:
* AIR Mathura
* AIR Mathura
* AIR Agra
* AIR Agra
* [[FM Rainbow Vijayawada]]
* FM Rainbow Vijayawada
* AIR Vijayawada
* AIR Vijayawada
* AIR Kannur
* AIR Kannur
* [[FM Ananthapuri]]
* FM Ananthapuri
* AIR Lucknow
* AIR Lucknow
* AIR Mount Abu
* AIR Mount Abu
Line 364: Line 421:
Details of the Digital Radio Mondiale (DRM) transmissions and frequencies are as follows:
Details of the Digital Radio Mondiale (DRM) transmissions and frequencies are as follows:


* 0130–0230 UTC on 11715&nbsp;kHz Nepali (Nepal)
* 01:30–02:30 UTC on 11715&nbsp;kHz Nepali (Nepal)
* 0315–0415 UTC on 15185&nbsp;kHz Hindi (E. Africa, Mauritius)
* 03:15–04:15 UTC on 15185&nbsp;kHz Hindi (East Africa, Mauritius)
* 0415–0430 UTC on 15185&nbsp;kHz Gujarati (E. Africa, Mauritius)
* 04:15–04:30 UTC on 15185&nbsp;kHz Gujarati (East Africa, Mauritius)
* 0430–0530 UTC on 15185&nbsp;kHz Hindi (E. Africa, Mauritius)
* 04:30–05:30 UTC on 15185&nbsp;kHz Hindi (East Africa, Mauritius)
* 1300–1500 UTC on 15050&nbsp;kHz Sinhala (Sri Lanka)
* 13:00–15:00 UTC on 15050&nbsp;kHz Sinhala (Sri Lanka)
* 1615–1715 UTC on 15140&nbsp;kHz Russian (E. Europe)
* 16:15–17:15 UTC on 15140&nbsp;kHz Russian (Eastern Europe)
* 2245–0045 UTC on 11645 GOS-I English (NE Asia)
* 22:45–00:45 UTC on 11645 GOS-I English (Northeast Asia)
 
* 09:00–11:00 UTC on 6100&nbsp;kHz Vividh Bharati, DRM NVIS
Above transmissions are in addition to following existing DRM txn's:
* 17:45–20:05 UTC on 9950&nbsp;kHz English (Western Europe)
 
* 19:45–20:45 UTC on 9950&nbsp;kHz Hindi (Western Europe)
* 0900–1200 on 6100 Vividh Bharati, DRM NVIS
* 20:45–02:30 UTC on 9950&nbsp;kHz English (Western Europe)
* 1745–1945 UTC on 9950 English (W. Europe)
* 1945–2045 UTC on 9950 Hindi (W. Europe)
* 2045–2230 UTC on 9950 English (W. Europe)


===News-on-phone===
===News-on-phone===
All India Radio launched news-on-phone service on 25 February 1998 in New Delhi; it now has service in Chennai, Mumbai, Hyderabad, [[Indore]], Patna and Bangalore. The service is accessible through [[Subscriber trunk dialling]] (STD), [[International Direct Dialing]] (ISD) and local calls. There are plans to establish the service in 11 additional cities including: Ahmedabad, Bhopal, Guwahati, Gwalior, Jabalpur, Jaipur, Kolkata, Lucknow, Ranchi and Shimla. English and Hindi hourly news bulletins may be heard live.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.newsonair.com |title=Prasar Bharati |access-date=17 October 2011}}</ref> News in [[MP3]] format may be directly played from the site, and filenames are time-stamped. AIR news bulletins are available in nine regional languages: Tamil, Kannada, Gujarati, Bengali, Marathi, North East, Punjabi, Telugu and Urdu.
All India Radio launched its news-on-phone service on 25 February 1998, in New Delhi. The service is now available in Chennai, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Indore, Patna, and Bangalore. It can be accessed through [[Subscriber trunk dialling|subscriber trunk dialing]] (STD), [[international direct dialing]] (ISD), and local calls. Plans are in place to expand the service to 11 additional cities, including Ahmedabad, Bhopal, Guwahati, Gwalior, Jabalpur, Jaipur, Kolkata, Lucknow, Ranchi, and Shimla. The service allows users to listen to live hourly news bulletins in English and Hindi.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.newsonair.com/ |title=Prasar Bharati |access-date=17 October 2011 |archive-date=21 June 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120621204711/http://www.newsonair.com/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> News in [[MP3]] format can be directly played from the site, with filenames time-stamped for easy reference. All India Radio's news bulletins are available in nine regional languages: Tamil, Kannada, Gujarati, Bengali, Marathi, North East languages, Punjabi, Telugu, and Urdu.


==={{anchor|Documentaries and features}}Documentaries===
==={{anchor|Documentaries and features}}Documentaries===
There is a long tradition of broadcasting documentary features on AIR. There is great interest in radio documentaries, particularly in countries like India, Iran, South Korea and Malaysia. The most prominent broadcaster of English Features was [[Melville de Mellow]], and of Hindi Features, Shiv Sagar Mishra. This format has been revived by AIR producers across India because of its flexibility, its relative low cost to produce, its messaging potential and its creative potential.
All India Radio (AIR) has a long tradition of broadcasting documentary features, which have garnered significant interest, particularly in countries like India, Iran, South Korea, and Malaysia. The most prominent broadcaster of English features was [[Melville de Mellow]], while Shiv Sagar Mishra was renowned for his Hindi features. This format has been revived by AIR producers across India due to its flexibility, relatively low production cost, messaging potential, and creative possibilities.


===Central Drama Unit===
===Central Drama Unit===
AIR's Central Drama Unit (CDU) is responsible for the national broadcast of plays. Plays produced by the CDU are translated and produced by regional stations. Since its inception in the 1960s, the unit has produced more than 1,500 plays, and the CDU houses a repository of old scripts and productions. The National Programme of Plays is broadcast by the CDU on the fourth Thursday of each month at 9.30&nbsp;pm. Each play included in the National Programme of Plays is produced in 22 Indian languages and broadcast at the same time by all regional and national network stations. The CDU also produces Chain Plays, half-hour dramas broadcast in succession by a chain of stations.
All India Radio's Central Drama Unit (CDU) is responsible for the national broadcast of plays. The plays produced by the CDU are translated and produced by regional stations. Since its inception in the 1960s, the unit has produced over 1,500 plays and maintains a repository of old scripts and productions. The National Programme of Plays, aired by the CDU, is broadcast on the fourth Thursday of each month at 9:30 pm. Each play in this program is produced in 22 Indian languages and broadcast simultaneously by all regional and national network stations. Additionally, the CDU produces Chain Plays, which are half-hour dramas broadcast in succession by a network of stations.


===Social Media Cell===
===Social Media Cell===
The News Service Division's Social Media Cell was established on 20 May 2013 and is responsible for providing AIR news on new media platforms such as websites, Twitter, Facebook, and SMS.
The News Service Division's Social Media Cell was established on 20 May 2013, and is responsible for delivering AIR news across new media platforms, including websites, Twitter, Facebook, and SMS.


==Gallery==
==Gallery==
<gallery>
<gallery>
File:AIR FM Tower Mangalore 0203.jpg|alt=White, multistory building with tall red-and-white tower in front|AIR tower in [[Mangalore]], [[Karnataka]]
File:AIR FM Tower Mangalore 0203.jpg|alt=White, multistory building with tall red-and-white tower in front|AIR tower in [[Mangalore]], [[Karnataka]]
File:Akashvani Bhavan, Kolkata.jpg|alt=Massive, pinkish-gray building with columns|[[Kolkata]] Centre of All India Radio, known as [[All India Radio, Kolkata]].
File:Akashvani Bhavan, Kolkata.jpg|alt=Massive, pinkish-gray building with columns|[[Akashvani Kolkata]]: the regional centre of Akashvani, [[West Bengal]].
File:Akashvani Emblem - Akashvani Bhavan - Kolkata 2013-09-07 2122.JPG|Emblem of Akashvani at [[Akashvani Kolkata]]
</gallery>
</gallery>


==See also==
==See also==
{{portal|Telecommunication|India}}
{{portal|Telecommunication|India}}
* ''[[The Indian Listener]]''
* [[Radio in India]]
* [[Radio in India]]
* [[Vividh Bharati]]
* [[AIR FM Rainbow]]
* [[AIR FM Gold]]
* [[106.4 FM Radio Gold]]
* [[106.4 FM Radio Gold]]
* [[Telugu Radio]]
* [[Telugu-language radio|Telugu Radio]]
* [[Radio Kashmir]]
* [[AIR Srinagar]]
* [[Telecommunications in India]]
* [[Telecommunications in India]]


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==External links==
==External links==
{{commons category|All India Radio}}
{{commons category}}
{{wiktionary|akashvani}}
{{wiktionary|akashvani}}
* [http://allindiaradio.gov.in/ All India Radio Official web-site]
* [http://allindiaradio.gov.in/ All India Radio Official web-site]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20111031004449/http://www.listenradios.com/vividh-bharati-online/ All India Radio Commercial Broadcasting Service Vividh Bharati On Line]
* [http://onlinetps.com/resources/AIR_radio_frequency_list.htm All India Radio (AIR) Station Frequencies (National/International)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140605120519/http://onlinetps.com/resources/AIR_radio_frequency_list.htm |date=5 June 2014 }}
* [http://www.voicevibes.net/ All India Radio Commercial Broadcasting Service Vividh Bharati On Line]
* [http://airworldservice.org/ All India Radio General Overseas Service / External Services Division]
* [http://airworldservice.org/english/ All India Radio General Overseas Service / External Services Division (English)]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20120505053343/http://india.gov.in/knowindia/radio.php Know India: Radio]
* [http://onlinetps.com/resources/AIR_radio_frequency_list.htm All India Radio (AIR) Station Frequencies (National/International)]
* [http://childrensection.tripod.com/ Children's wing of All India Radio]
 
 
 


{{MIBI}}
{{Prasara Bharathi Network}}
{{European Broadcasting Union Members}}
{{World Radio Network}}
{{Telecommunications}}
{{Telecommunications}}
{{Media of India}}
{{Media of India}}
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[[Category:Radio broadcasting companies of India]]
[[Category:Radio broadcasting companies of India]]
[[Category:Radio stations in Assam]]
[[Category:Radio stations in Assam]]
{{source Wikipedia}}

Revision as of 09:25, 15 January 2026


For the electronic band, see All India Radio (band). "Akashavani" redirects here. For the 2021 film, see Aakashavaani.

Template:Infobox radio network All India Radio (AIR), also known as Akashvani (lit. 'Voice from the sky' or 'Oracle'), is India's state-owned public radio broadcaster. Founded in 1936,[1] it operates under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and is one of the two divisions of Prasar Bharati.[2] Headquartered at the Akashvani Bhavan in New Delhi, it houses the Drama Section, FM Section, and National Service. It also serves as the home of the Indian television station Doordarshan Kendra.

All India Radio is one the largest radio network in the world in terms of the number of languages broadcast, the socioeconomic diversity it serves, and the scale of its broadcasting organisation. AIR's domestic service includes 420 stations nationwide, covering nearly 92% of India's geographic area and 99.19% of its population, with programming available in 23 languages and 179 dialects.[3]

A stamp commemorating Akashvani's silver jubilee

History

Akashvani

When the Indian State Broadcasting Service (ISBS) was renamed to All India Radio, Rabindranath Tagore rechristened it Akashvani, the voice that comes over from the skies, in a poem penned for the inauguration of Kolkata's shortwave service.[4][5]

The term Akashvani was also used in the context of radio by M. V. Gopalaswami in 1936 when he established India's first private radio station at his residence, "Vittal Vihar," located about 200 yards from the current All India Radio station in Mysore.[6] In 1956, Akashvani was adopted as All India Radio's on-air name. With its literal meaning in Sanskrit as "voice from the sky," the name was considered highly fitting for a broadcaster. The suggestion to use Akashvani was given to Gopalaswami by the Telugu/Kannada scholar Rallapalli Ananta Krishna Sharma, who was working as a Telugu pandit in Mysore Maharaja College and later went onto tune Annamacharya's kritis as well.

During the British Raj

Broadcasting commenced in June 1923 during the British Raj with programmes by the Bombay Presidency Radio Club and other radio clubs. According to an agreement on 23 July 1927, the private Indian Broadcasting Company Ltd (IBC) was authorised to operate two radio stations: the Mumbai station, which began on 23 July 1927, and the Kolkata station, which followed suit on 26 August 1927. The organisation went into liquidation on 1 March 1930. The government took over broadcasting facilities and launched the Indian State Broadcasting Service (ISBS) on 1 April 1930, initially on an experimental basis for two years. It became a permanent service in May 1932 and was later renamed All India Radio on 8 June 1936.[1] The building was contracted by Sir Sobha Singh.[7]

Distant photo of building complex with tower
AIR headquarters in New Delhi
Old Akashvani Bhawan at Sansad Marg

On 1 October 1939, the External Service began with a broadcast in Pashto. It was intended to counter radio propaganda from Germany directed at Afghanistan, Iran, and Arab nations. The Dhaka station in Eastern India, in what is now Bangladesh, opened in 1939. This station catered to and nurtured the pioneers of Bengali intellectuals. The foremost among them, Natyaguru Nurul Momen, became the trailblazer of the talk show in 1939. He wrote and directed the first modern radio play, "Rupantar (The Transformation)" for this station in 1942.[citation needed] This play was later published in 1943 Pooja Edition (Sharadia Issue) of Anandabazar Patrika.

In December 1940, the Standing Finance Committee sanctioned a sum of Rupees 9,30,000 for the establishment of a new headquarters of the All India Radio in Delhi.[8] The new “Broadcasting House” of AIR at Parliament Street in New Delhi was inaugurated in February 1943.[9] In 1956, All India Radio (AIR) was officially renamed Akashvani, and its headquarters were renamed Akashvani Bhawan.[10]

After Independence

When India became independent in 1947, the All India Radio network consisted of only six stations: Delhi, Bombay, Calcutta, Madras, Lucknow, and Tiruchirappalli. The three radio stations in Lahore, Peshawar, and Dhaka remained in what eventually became Pakistan after the partition. At that time, there were approximately 250,000 radio sets in India.[11]

In August 1947, All India Radio hired its first female newsreader, Saeeda Bano, who read the news in Urdu.[12]

On 3 October 1957, the Vividh Bharati service was launched by All India Radio to compete with Radio Ceylon. The total capital invested by the All India Radio so far on the experimental Television service inaugurated on 5 September 1959 is about Rs. 2.14 lakhs, eight commercial licenses and four domestic licenses for television receiver sets have so far been issued by the Posts and Telegraphs Department.[13] Television broadcasting commenced in Delhi in 1959 under the aegis of AIR, but was split off from the radio network as Doordarshan on 1 April 1976.[14] FM broadcasting began on 23 July 1977 in Chennai, and expanded during the 1990s.[15]

Deccan Radio (Nizam Radio 1932), the first radio station in the princely Hyderabad State (now Hyderabad), went live on 3 February 1935. It was launched by Mir Osman Ali Khan, the seventh Nizam of Hyderabad, boasting of a transmitting power of 200 Watts. On 1 April 1950, after Operation Polo, Deccan Radio was taken over by the Indian Government, and in 1956, it was merged with All India Radio. Thereafter, it has been known as AIR-Hyderabad (100 kW).[16]

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Radio Television license

Domestic services

AIR offers a variety of services in multiple languages, each catering to different regions across India.

Vividh Bharati

Vividh Bharati, launched in 1957, is one of the most well-known services of All India Radio. Its name roughly translates to "Diverse Indian" and is also referred to as the Commercial Broadcasting Service (CBS). Commercially, it is the most accessible AIR network, particularly popular in Mumbai and other large cities. Vividh Bharati offers a wide range of programs, including news, film music, short plays, music, and comedy. It operates on various mediumwave and FM frequencies in each city.

Some programmes broadcast on Vividh Bharati are:

  • Hawa-mahal: Radio drama based on novels and plays
  • Santogen ki mehfil: Comedy
  • Aaj ke fankar: Description of life and works of a film artist
  • Chhayageet: Songs of announcer's choice with impeccable scripting

Central Sales Unit

The Central Sales Unit (CSU), located in Mumbai, handles the commercial affairs of AIR.[17]

Other services

  • Primary Channel[18]
  • National Channel[19]

Regional services

The headquarters of the Regional Deputy Directors General are located in Delhi and Chandigarh (NR), Lucknow and Bhopal (CR), Guwahati (NER), Kolkata (ER), Mumbai and Ahmedabad (WR), and Chennai and Bangalore (SR).[20] All frequencies are in kHz, unless otherwise specified. Most of the channels are also available online.

Northern regional service
City Frequency City Frequency City Frequency
Agra 1530 Ajmer 603 Allahabad 1026
Almora 999 Barmer 1458 Bikaner 1395
Chairhara (Budgam) 1485 Delhi A 819 Delhi B 666
Delhi C (Vividh Bharti) 1368 Delhi D (Yuv-vani) 1017 Delhi (National Channel) 1215
Diskit 1602 Faizabad 1485 Gorakhpur 909
Jaipur A 1476 Jalandhar A 873 Jalandhar B 702
Jammu A 990 Jodhpur A 531 Kalpa (Kinnaur) 1584
Kargil A 684 Kargil B 1584 Khalsi 1485
Kota 1413 Kupwara 1350 Leh 1053
Lucknow A 747 Lucknow C 1278 Mathura 1584
Najibabad 954 Naushera 1089 Nyoma 1485
Padam 1584 Pauri 1602 Pithoragarh 1602
Rampur 891 Rohtak FM 103.5 MHz Shimla 774
Budgam 1116 Budgam A 1224 Srinagar C 918
Tiesuru 1602 Udaipur 1125 Uttarkashi 1602
Varanasi A 1242 Sawai Madhopur FM 101.5 MHz Raebareli FM 102.8 MHz
Northeast regional service
City Frequency City Frequency
Agartala 1269 Guwahati A 729
Shillong 864 kHz (100 kW; Primary Channel; 1966–present), 4970 kHz (50 kW; NE Service; 1990-2019; decommissioned[21][22][23]), 7315 kHz (50 kW; NE Service; 2000s/2010s-2019; decommissioned), FM 100.1 MHz (100W; NE Service; 2012–present), FM 103.6 MHz (10 kW; Primary Channel: 2023-2025; FM Jong Phi*: 2010-2023,[24][25][26] 2025–present[27][28]) Imphal 882

*Prior to Saturday, the 2nd of October, 2010, it is formerly known as Akashvani FM Rainbow Shillong, which relays to Akashvani FM Rainbow Delhi. Since that date, it became a full fledged radio station and it broadcasts its own programmes.

Eastern regional service
City Frequency City Frequency
Bhagalpur 1458, 1206 Chinsurah ((Akashvani Maitree), 1 MegaWatt Transmitter Capacity) 594 & 1134
Cuttack A 972 Darbhanga 1296
Jamshedpur 1584 Gitanjali (Kolkata A)(200 KW Transmitter Capacity) 657
Sanchayita (Kolkata B)(100 KW Transmitter Capacity) 1008 Kolkata C (Vividh Bharati) 1323 kHz Medium Wave as well as 101.8 MHZ FM
Patna A 621 Ranchi A 549
Muzaffarpur A FM 100.1 MHz Muzaffarpur B FM 106.4 MHz
Kolkata (FM Rainbow) (20 KW Transmitter Capacity) FM 107.0 MHz Kolkata (FM Gold)(20 KW Transmitter Capacity) FM 100.2 MHz
Kurseong 1440 kHz as well as FM 102.3 MHZ (5 KW Transmitter Capacity) Siliguri 711 kHz (200 KW DRM Transmitter Capacity)
Santiniketan (Bolpur) FM 103.1 MHz (3 KW Transmitter Capacity) Murshidabad (6 KW Transmitter Capacity) FM 102.2 MHz
Western regional service
City Frequency City Frequency
Ahmedabad A 846 Aurangabad 1521
Bhopal A 1593 Chhindwara FM 102.2 MHz
Chhatarpur 675 Gwalior 1386
Indore A 648 Jabalpur A 801
Mumbai A 1044 Mumbai B (Asmita Marathi) 558
Mumbai C (Vividh Bharati) 1188 Nagpur A 585
Nagpur B (National Channel, 1 MW) 1566 Panaji A 1287
Panaji B (Vividh Bharati) 828 Pune A 792
Rajkot A 810 Ratnagiri 1143
Solapur 1602 Sangli 1251
Parbhani A FM 102.0 MHz Jabalpur Vividh Bharati 102.9
Mysore FM 100.6 MHz Jalgaon 963
Southern regional service
City Frequency City Frequency
Bangalore 612 kHz Bengaluru (Vividha Bharati) 102.9 MHz
Bangalore (Rainbow FM) 101.3 MHz Bhadravati 675 kHz
Dharwad 765 kHz Dharwad FM 103.0 MHz
Hassan 1107 kHZ Kalburagi 1107 kHz
Mangaluru 1089 kHz Mangalore FM 100.3 MHz
Madikeri FM 103.1 MHz Sringeri FM 101 MHz
Hyderabad 738 kHz Hyderabad (FM Rainbow) 101.9 MHz
Hyderabad (Vivida Bharati) 102.8 MHz Warangal 103.5 MHz
Vijayawada 103.4 MHz

[29]

External services

The external services of All India Radio are broadcast in 27 languages to countries outside India via high-power shortwave radio transmissions.[30] Mediumwave is also used to reach neighboring countries. In addition to language-specific broadcasts targeted at particular countries, there is a General Overseas Service that broadcasts in English, offering 8¼ hours of programming daily aimed at a general international audience.

The external broadcasts began on 1 October 1939, initiated by the British government to counter Nazi propaganda directed at the Afghan people. Initially, the broadcasts were in Pashto, targeting Afghanistan and the North-West Frontier Province. Over time, broadcasts expanded to include languages such as Dari, Persian, Arabic, English, Burmese, Japanese, Chinese, Malay, and French. Currently, the external services broadcast in 16 foreign languages and 11 Indian languages, with a total program output of 70¼ hours per day on medium and shortwave frequencies.

External service transmitter sites
Location Number of transmitters kW Frequency DRM !
Aligarh (HPT) 4 250
Bengaluru (SPT) 6 500 100 kW
Chennai (Madras) 1 100 720 kHz MW
Gorakhpur 1 50
Guwahati 1 50
Jalandhar (Goraya) 1 300 702 kHz MW
Khampur-Delhi (HPT) 7 250
Khampur-Delhi (SPT) 2 500
Kingsway-Delhi 3 50
Kingsway-Delhi 2 100
Kolkata-Chinsurah/Mogra (SPT) 1 1000 1134 kHz and 594 kHz (Kolkata – A) 1142 kHz MW
Mumbai (Malad) 1 100
Nagpur (SPT) 1 1000 1566 kHz MW
Panaji (HPT) 2 250
Rajkot (SPT) 1 1000 1071 kHz AIR URDU 1080 kHz (2 MW) Vividha Bharti
Tuticorin 1 200 1053 kHz MW

Two high-powered FM stations of All India Radio are being installed in Amritsar and Fazilka, Punjab, to complement the programs broadcast from transmitters in Jalandhar, New Delhi, Chandigarh, and Mumbai. These stations aim to improve broadcast services, particularly during unfavorable weather conditions, in the border regions of Punjab.

Today, the External Services Division of All India Radio broadcasts 57 transmissions daily, offering nearly 72 hours of programming that reaches over 108 countries in 27 languages. Of these, 15 are foreign languages and 12 are Indian. The foreign languages include Arabic, Baluchi, Burmese, Chinese, Dari, French, Indonesian, Persian, Pushtu, Russian, Sinhala, Swahili, Thai, Tibetan, and English (General Overseas Service). The Indian languages are Bengali, Gujarati, Marathi, Konkani, Kashmiri, Hindi, Kannada, Malayalam, Nepali, Punjabi, Saraiki, Sindhi, Tamil, Telugu, and Urdu.

The longest daily broadcast is the Urdu Service to Pakistan, which airs around the clock on DTH (direct-broadcast satellite) and on short- and medium-wave for 12¼ hours. The English-language General Overseas Service is broadcast for 8¼ hours daily. During Hajj, special broadcasts in Urdu are beamed to Saudi Arabia. Additionally, AIR is planning to produce programs in the Balochi language.[31]

The external services of All India Radio (AIR) are also broadcast to Europe in DRM (Digital Radio Mondiale) on 9950 kHz between 17:45 and 22:30 UTC. These transmissions are delivered via high-power transmitters located in Aligarh, Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Gorakhpur, Guwahati, Mumbai, and Panaji on shortwave, and from Jalandhar, Kolkata, Nagpur, Rajkot, and Tuticorin on mediumwave. All India Radio Amritsar plans to launch a booster service on the FM band. Some of these transmitters have a power output of 1000 kW (1 MW) or 500 kW. Programs are broadcast to various parts of the world, excluding the Americas, with very good reception quality in the target areas.

Each language service includes news, commentary, press reviews, talks on general or cultural topics, feature programs, documentaries, and music from India and the target region. Most of these programs originate from New Broadcasting House on Parliament Street in New Delhi, with some originating from SPT Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, Jalandhar, Kolkata, HPT Malad Mumbai, Thiruvananthapuram, and Tuticorin.

The External Services Division of All India Radio (AIR) serves as a vital link between India and the rest of the world, particularly in countries with significant Indian diaspora. It broadcasts India's perspective on national and international matters and showcases the Indian way of life through its programs. QSL cards, which are highly sought after by international radio hobbyists, are issued by AIR in New Delhi in response to reception reports of their broadcasts.

Direct-To-Home

Direct-to-home (DTH) service is a satellite broadcast service where a large number of radio channels are digitally transmitted over a territory from a high-power satellite. All India Radio broadcasts various national and regional stations, which can be accessed on DD Free Dish. The DTH signals can be received directly at homes using a small dish receiver unit, which includes a dish antenna installed on the rooftop or a wall facing clear south, with the receiver placed indoors.[32] DTH service is offered on twenty one channels via Insat.

List of DTH channels

National

  • Vividh Bharati – Hindi music radio
  • AIR FM Rainbow India – Hindi & English music radio
  • AIR FM Gold Delhi – Hindi classical music & news Radio
  • AIR Live News 24×7 – Hindi & English news radio
  • AIR Urdu – Urdu entertainment radio
  • AIR Hindi – Hindi entertainment radio
  • Raagam – Indian classical music radio
  • Gyan Vani – Hindi & English educational radio
  • Akashvani Aradhana – Hindi devotional radio

Regional

Online services

  • AIR Live News
  • AIR Najibabad
  • Vividh Bharati
  • FM Gold Delhi
  • FM Rainbow Delhi
  • AIR Urdu
  • Raagam
  • AIR Gujarati
  • AIR Marathi
  • AIR Punjabi
  • AIR Malayalam
  • AIR Tamil
  • AIR Telugu
  • AIR Kannada
  • AIR Bangla
  • AIR Jammu
  • AIR Odia
  • AIR Assamese
  • AIR North East
  • FM Tragopan Kohima
  • FM Rainbow Goa
  • AIR Shimla
  • AIR Bhuj
  • AIR Indore
  • AIR Mysuru
  • AIR Jodhpur
  • Amrutvarshini
  • Vividh Bharati Bengaluru
  • FM Rainbow Kannada Kaamaanbilu
  • AIR Bengaluru
  • Sun City FM Jodhpur
  • AIR Pune
  • AIR Rohtak
  • FM Rainbow Lucknow
  • AIR Jabalpur
  • AIR Bhopal
  • FM Rainbow Mumbai
  • FM Gold Mumbai
  • Samvadita Mumbai
  • AIR Aadilabad
  • AIR Jaipur
  • AIR Varanasi
  • AIR Raipur
  • AIR Sangli
  • AIR Rajkot
  • AIR Nagpur
  • AIR Prayagraj
  • AIR Patna
  • AIR Patiala
  • AIR Mhadei Panaji
  • AIR Gorakhpur
  • AIR Hassan
  • AIR Dehradun
  • AIR Solapur
  • AIR Kota
  • AIR Madurai
  • AIR Kolhapur
  • AIR Suratgarh
  • FM Rainbow Visakhapatnam
  • AIR Kurnool
  • AIR Bikaner
  • AIR Kochi
  • AIR Calicut
  • AIR Mathura
  • AIR Agra
  • FM Rainbow Vijayawada
  • AIR Vijayawada
  • AIR Kannur
  • FM Ananthapuri
  • AIR Lucknow
  • AIR Mount Abu
  • AIR Dharwad
  • AIR Chandigarh
  • AIR Chitradurga
  • AIR Manjeri
  • AIR Aurangabad
  • AIR Surat
  • AIR Tirupati
  • AIR Kodaikanal
  • AIR Alwar

Other services

Digital Radio Mondiale

Details of the Digital Radio Mondiale (DRM) transmissions and frequencies are as follows:

  • 01:30–02:30 UTC on 11715 kHz Nepali (Nepal)
  • 03:15–04:15 UTC on 15185 kHz Hindi (East Africa, Mauritius)
  • 04:15–04:30 UTC on 15185 kHz Gujarati (East Africa, Mauritius)
  • 04:30–05:30 UTC on 15185 kHz Hindi (East Africa, Mauritius)
  • 13:00–15:00 UTC on 15050 kHz Sinhala (Sri Lanka)
  • 16:15–17:15 UTC on 15140 kHz Russian (Eastern Europe)
  • 22:45–00:45 UTC on 11645 GOS-I English (Northeast Asia)
  • 09:00–11:00 UTC on 6100 kHz Vividh Bharati, DRM NVIS
  • 17:45–20:05 UTC on 9950 kHz English (Western Europe)
  • 19:45–20:45 UTC on 9950 kHz Hindi (Western Europe)
  • 20:45–02:30 UTC on 9950 kHz English (Western Europe)

News-on-phone

All India Radio launched its news-on-phone service on 25 February 1998, in New Delhi. The service is now available in Chennai, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Indore, Patna, and Bangalore. It can be accessed through subscriber trunk dialing (STD), international direct dialing (ISD), and local calls. Plans are in place to expand the service to 11 additional cities, including Ahmedabad, Bhopal, Guwahati, Gwalior, Jabalpur, Jaipur, Kolkata, Lucknow, Ranchi, and Shimla. The service allows users to listen to live hourly news bulletins in English and Hindi.[33] News in MP3 format can be directly played from the site, with filenames time-stamped for easy reference. All India Radio's news bulletins are available in nine regional languages: Tamil, Kannada, Gujarati, Bengali, Marathi, North East languages, Punjabi, Telugu, and Urdu.

Documentaries

All India Radio (AIR) has a long tradition of broadcasting documentary features, which have garnered significant interest, particularly in countries like India, Iran, South Korea, and Malaysia. The most prominent broadcaster of English features was Melville de Mellow, while Shiv Sagar Mishra was renowned for his Hindi features. This format has been revived by AIR producers across India due to its flexibility, relatively low production cost, messaging potential, and creative possibilities.

Central Drama Unit

All India Radio's Central Drama Unit (CDU) is responsible for the national broadcast of plays. The plays produced by the CDU are translated and produced by regional stations. Since its inception in the 1960s, the unit has produced over 1,500 plays and maintains a repository of old scripts and productions. The National Programme of Plays, aired by the CDU, is broadcast on the fourth Thursday of each month at 9:30 pm. Each play in this program is produced in 22 Indian languages and broadcast simultaneously by all regional and national network stations. Additionally, the CDU produces Chain Plays, which are half-hour dramas broadcast in succession by a network of stations.

Social Media Cell

The News Service Division's Social Media Cell was established on 20 May 2013, and is responsible for delivering AIR news across new media platforms, including websites, Twitter, Facebook, and SMS.

Gallery

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Milestones of AIR (official website)". All India Radio. Archived from the original on 24 December 2018. Retrieved 13 January 2013.
  2. ↑ Home page: All India Radio prasarbharati.gov.in. Retrieved 4 September 2021
  3. ↑ "AIR Home". prasarbharati.gov.in. Archived from the original on 17 June 2020. Retrieved 28 February 2020.
  4. ↑ "Riding the waves, a shared history". Indian Express. Archived from the original on 1 October 2021. Retrieved 1 October 2021.
  5. ↑ Chandrika Kaul (2014). 'Invisible Empire Tie': Broadcasting and the British Raj in the Interwar Years. pp. 123–171. doi:10.1057/9781137445964_4. ISBN 978-1-137-44596-4. Archived from the original on 12 February 2023. Retrieved 1 October 2021.
  6. ↑ "Mysore Akashavani is now 75 years old". Business Standard. Archived from the original on 13 October 2012. Retrieved 25 July 2011.
  7. ↑ Roopa-lekhā. All-India Fine Arts and Crafts Society. 1968. Archived from the original on 11 December 2024. Retrieved 28 September 2024.
  8. ↑ "New Broadcasting House in Delhi". The Indian Express. 18 December 1940. Retrieved 2 May 2024.
  9. ↑ Baruah, UL (2017). This is All India Radio. New Delhi: Publications Division Ministry of Information & Broadcasting. ISBN 9788123025780. Retrieved 2 May 2024.
  10. ↑ "1956 : AIR becomes Akashvani". Frontline. The Hindu Group. 11 August 2022. Archived from the original on 2 May 2024. Retrieved 2 May 2024.
  11. ↑ Varshney, Akanksha (25 August 2015). "Journey Of Radio In India". Vskills Blog. Archived from the original on 25 September 2024. Retrieved 25 September 2024.[better source needed]
  12. ↑ Najib, Rihan (23 November 2020). "To end the news, the headlines again: The life and times of Saeeda Bano". @businessline. Retrieved 4 March 2021.
  13. ↑ https://eparlib.nic.in/bitstream/123456789/1783/1/lsd_02_09_19-11-1959.pdf page 27
  14. ↑ "Chapter 1: History of All India Radio" (PDF). AIR Manual. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 September 2010.
  15. ↑ "Milestones of AIR". All India Radio. Archived from the original on 12 June 2010.
  16. ↑ "The Long and Interesting Story of All India Radio, Hyderabad–Part 2". Wavescan-NWS78. 15 August 2010. Archived from the original on 21 September 2018. Retrieved 21 September 2018.
  17. ↑ "Get Apps | Prasar Bharati". Archived from the original on 3 December 2020. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
  18. ↑ "Primary Channel Services". allindiaradio.gov.in. Archived from the original on 13 March 2016. Retrieved 30 July 2018.
  19. ↑ "National Channel". Archived from the original on 1 October 2011. Retrieved 2 May 2014.
  20. ↑ "All India Radio". Know India. Archived from the original on 3 September 2011. Retrieved 15 October 2011.
  21. ↑ Nair, Sobhana K. (6 June 2019). "AIR may have to power off short wave transmissions". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 5 October 2025.
  22. ↑ Dutta, Amrita Nayak (7 June 2019). "Prasar Bharati wants to switch off AIR short-wave service, India's voice around the world". ThePrint. Retrieved 5 October 2025.
  23. ↑ Gupta, Alokesh (4 September 2019). "R A D I O A C T I V I T Y: All India Radio Kurseong,Port Blair,Mumbai & Shillong shortwave transmitters decommissioned". R A D I O A C T I V I T Y. Retrieved 5 October 2025.
  24. ↑ "OFF AIR: Popular FM Jongphi station axed after 13 years | Highland Post". 7 August 2023. Retrieved 5 October 2025.
  25. ↑ "Instagram". www.instagram.com. Retrieved 5 October 2025.
  26. ↑ "Instagram". www.instagram.com. Retrieved 5 October 2025.
  27. ↑ "Mapping forward on Geospatial intelligence? - The Shillong Times". 17 May 2025. Retrieved 5 October 2025.
  28. ↑ "AIR". qsl.net. Retrieved 5 October 2025.
  29. ↑ "Annual Report 2018-2019, page 193" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 6 July 2021. Retrieved 21 March 2021.
  30. ↑ "Wayback Machine" (PDF). www.eoiukraine.gov.in. Retrieved 6 September 2025. {{cite web}}: Cite uses generic title (help)
  31. ↑ IANS (31 August 2016). "All India Radio to revamp Baluchi language programme". Business Standard. Archived from the original on 11 December 2024. Retrieved 8 May 2025.
  32. ↑ "DD Free Dish (DTH)". ddindia.gov.in. Archived from the original on 19 July 2016. Retrieved 21 July 2016.
  33. ↑ "Prasar Bharati". Archived from the original on 21 June 2012. Retrieved 17 October 2011.

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