Maushami Chakraborty becomes the Director General of All India Radio

Utkarsh Classes Last Updated 19-03-2024

Maushami Chakraborty becomes the Director General of All India Radio

Appointment 4 min read

Maushami Chakraborty will replace Vasudha Gupta:

According to the information given by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Maushami Chakraborty will replace Vasudha Gupta. The ministry released the notification of their appointments on 16 March 2024. Maushami Chakraborty is a 1991 batch Indian Information Service officer.

About Akashvani:

Broadcasting in India actually began about 13 years before All India Radio came into existence. In June 1923, the Radio Club of Bombay made the first broadcast in the country.
Five months later, the Calcutta Radio Club was established. Indian Broadcasting Company (IBC) came into existence on July 23, 1927. But IBC had to close it down in less than three years.
In April 1930, the Indian Broadcasting Service, operating under the Department of Industries and Labour, commenced operations on an experimental basis.
In August 1935, Lionel Fielden assumed the role of the inaugural Controller of Broadcasting. The following month Akashvani, a private radio station, was established in Mysore. On June 8, 1936, the Indian State Broadcasting Service was transformed into All India Radio.
The Central News Organization (CNO) came into existence in August, 1937. In the same year, All India Radio came under the Department of Communications. After four years it came under the Information and Broadcasting Department.
When India gained independence, there were six radio stations in India in Delhi, Bombay, Calcutta, Madras, Tiruchirappalli and Lucknow. At that time the coverage of All India Radio was only 2.5% area and 11% population.
The next year, the Chief News Officer (CNO) was split into two divisions: the News Services Division (NSD) and the External Services Division (ESD). In 1956, the national broadcaster adopted the name Akashvani. Vividh Bharati Seva was started in 1957 with popular film music as its main component.
The unprecedented growth achieved by All India Radio has made it one of the largest media organizations in the world. With a network of 262 radio stations, Akashvani today reaches almost the entire population of the country and about 92% of the total area.
AIR currently broadcasts in 23 languages and 146 dialects, catering to a socio-economically and culturally diverse population.
The Foreign Service Division's programmes are broadcast in 11 Indian and 16 foreign languages reaching more than 100 countries.
The purpose of these outside broadcasts by All India Radio (AIR) is to keep foreign listeners informed about developments in the country and to offer entertainment.