‘To harness the ether for those who dwell upon the earth is one of the loveliest services that the modern age can render to humanity-Upward Radio!’-Sarojini Naidu’s note in the AIR visitors’ book

For decades, All India Radio or Akashvani, India’s national broadcaster, has been ‘the sound of India’. Be it Jawaharlal Nehru’s iconic ‘Tryst with Destiny’ speech, shows such as Binaca Geetmala, cricket matches, movies or, more recently, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Mann ki Baat, AIR has been and continues to be the primary source for programmes on news, entertainment and knowledge for many Indians. But there are innumerable fascinating stories associated with the radio channel itself.

For instance, did you know that Rabindranath Tagore dedicated a poem to AIR called ‘Akashvani’, which was adopted as the Hindi name? Or that an AIR producer was one of the first civilians to be let inside the Golden Temple after Operation Blue Star? Or that noted Pakistani ghazal singer Ghulam Ali used to make his disciples listen to AIR’s Urdu service to understand correct Urdu pronunciation?

These and many other such tales make up Akashvani: A Century of Stories from All India Radio. With anecdotes from producers, broadcasters, radio jockeys and listeners, this book is a must-read to understand AIR’s pivotal role in the average Indian’s life.