National Broadcasting Day 2021: India's first-ever radio broadcast - All you need to know

On July 23, 1927, the first-ever radio broadcast in India went on-air from the Bombay (now Mumbai) station. Since then, this day has been observed as National Broadcasting Day.

Since 1927, radio has played a crucial role in the lives of people in India. The Indian State Broadcasting Service (ISBS) became All India Radio (AIR) on June 8, 1936. In the past 93 years, radio broadcast in India.

All India Radio has grown phenomenally over the decades and went on to become one of the largest broadcasting organizations in the world, in terms of the socio-economic and cultural diversity and the number of languages of broadcast.

#NationalBroadcastingDay:

On this day, India's first-ever radio broadcast went on air from Bombay station. An integral part of our life since then, @AkashvaniAIR continues to bind the nation together through both entertainment & information. pic.twitter.com/6LYNgUTJD6

— MIB India 🇮🇳 #Cheer4India (@MIB_India) July 23, 2021

Radio Broadcast in India: History

•Radio broadcasting in India began during the British era in 1923 under the Bombay Presidency Radio Club.

•In 1927, the Indian Broadcasting Company (IBC) became a private entity and was authorized to broadcast two radio stations.

•On March 1, 1930, the Indian Broadcasting Company (IBS) was liquidated, and the government took charge of broadcasting facilities.

•On April 1, 1930, the Indian State Broadcasting Service (ISBS) was formed on an experimental basis for two years.

•On June 8, 1936, the Indian State Broadcasting Service (ISBS) became All India Radio (AIR).

•When India was declared independent, the country had six radio stations across Delhi, Calcutta, Bombay, Lucknow, Madras, and Tiruchirapalli.

•30 years later, FM broadcasting in India began on July 23, 1977, in Chennai.

Today is 'National Broadcasting Day' which marks the first-ever radio broadcast in the country on this day in 1927 by Indian Broadcasting Company from Bombay Station. On June 8, 1936, its name was changed to All India Radio. AIR is one of the largest broadcasters in the world. pic.twitter.com/pUNjQSz7M0

— ALL INDIA RADIO आकाशवाणी (@AkashvaniAIR) July 23, 2021

Radio Broadcast in India: Now

•Today, All India Radio (AIR) is the largest radio network in the world. With 479 stations across the country, it reaches over 92 per cent of the area of India and is accessible to 99.19 per cent of the population of the country.

•The aim of AIR is to educate, inform and entertain the masses. AIR’s motto is ‘Bahujan Hitaya : Bahujan Sukhaya’. The AIR broadcasts programs in 23 languages and 179 dialects.

•Since 1956, AIR has been officially known as Akashvani. It is owned by Prasar Bharati, India’s largest public broadcasting agency.