From Gandhi’s historic radio address to the digital age: The evolution of Public Broadcasting in India

Tracing India's broadcasting journey from Mahatma Gandhi's historic radio address in 1947 to a multilingual, multi-platform public broadcasting network.

Babushahi Bureau/PIB

New Delhi, November 12, 2026: There are moments in a nation’s history when communication transcends the boundaries of technology to become an instrument of reassurance, public awareness and national unity. On November 12, 1947, as a newly independent India was navigating the aftermath of Partition, a historic voice travelled across the airwaves carrying a message of hope, compassion and solidarity.

It was the voice of Mahatma Gandhi, addressing thousands of displaced Indians taking shelter in Kurukshetra, through All India Radio (AIR), now known as Akashvani.

Nearly eight decades later, this historic broadcast continues to lend significance to India’s Public Service Broadcasting Day, observed every year on November 12. The occasion commemorates not merely a landmark in India’s broadcasting history, but also the enduring role of public service broadcasting in informing, educating and connecting citizens across geographical, linguistic and socio-economic boundaries.

From its early beginnings to its evolution into a nationwide broadcasting network, India’s public broadcasting system has played an important role in nation-building, disseminating information, promoting education and reflecting the country’s rich cultural and linguistic diversity.

A Historic Broadcast That Gave the Day Its Significance

The story of Public Service Broadcasting Day goes back to the difficult months following Independence. Mahatma Gandhi wished to visit approximately 2.5 lakh Indian refugees displaced from Pakistan and taking shelter in Kurukshetra on November 12, 1947. However, owing to unavoidable circumstances and his commitments in Delhi, he could not undertake the visit. An alternative arrangement was therefore made for him to address the refugees through All India Radio.

At 3 p.m. that day, Mahatma Gandhi visited the Broadcasting House in New Delhi and delivered his address. The broadcast carried his message directly to people experiencing displacement, uncertainty and emotional distress, demonstrating the ability of radio to transcend physical distances and bring reassurance to people in difficult circumstances.

According to the Akashvani Archives, Gandhiji was initially hesitant to speak on radio, having previously addressed the medium only once, during the Round Table Conference. Following the advice of industrialist Ghanshyam Das Birla, he agreed to deliver the address. The studio was arranged to resemble his familiar daily prayer meetings, lending the occasion a personal and familiar character.

The broadcast remains a significant example of how public broadcasting can serve people, particularly during challenging times, by extending the reach of important messages beyond the limitations of physical presence.

To commemorate the 50th anniversary of Gandhiji’s historic visit, All India Radio organized a special function at its premises on November 12, 1997. In 2000, the then Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Sushma Swaraj, announced that November 12 would henceforth be observed as Public Service Broadcasting Day.

From Experimental Transmissions to a National Voice

India’s broadcasting journey began much earlier. The Radio Club of Bombay conducted the country’s first broadcast in June 1923, followed by the Calcutta Radio Club in November that year.

The Indian Broadcasting Company came into existence on July 23, 1927. Following its liquidation, the Indian State Broadcasting Service began operating experimentally on April 1, 1930. On June 8, 1936, it was renamed as All India Radio.

At the time of Independence, AIR had just six stations in Delhi, Bombay, Calcutta, Madras, Tiruchirappalli and Lucknow, covering approximately 2.5 per cent of India’s geographical area and 11 per cent of its population.

Over the subsequent decades, All India Radio steadily expanded its reach and programming. The Central News Organization came into existence in August 1937 and was subsequently divided into the News Services Division and External Services Division in 1938. The name Akashvani was adopted in 1956, while Vividh Bharati was launched in 1957, bringing popular film music and entertainment to a wider audience.

From this modest beginning, Akashvani expanded into a nationwide network of 262 radio stations, broadcasting in 23 languages and 146 dialects, with coverage extending to nearly 92 per cent of India’s geographical area.

This expansion has enabled public broadcasting to reach diverse communities, including those in remote and underserved regions, making radio an important medium for information dissemination, education, cultural expression and public engagement.

The next major chapter in India’s broadcasting journey began on September 15, 1959, when Doordarshan was launched as an experimental television service. Inaugurated by the then President Dr Rajendra Prasad, it initially operated with a modest studio and transmitter. Television subsequently emerged as another important medium for informing, educating and connecting citizens across the country.

Prasar Bharati: Institutionalizing Public Service Broadcasting

A significant institutional milestone came with the Prasar Bharati (Broadcasting Corporation of India) Act, 1990, which came into effect on September 15, 1997. Prasar Bharati formally came into existence on November 23, 1997, as India’s public service broadcaster, with Akashvani and Doordarshan as its principal constituent networks.

The statutory framework provides an institutional foundation for public service broadcasting, recognizing the importance of citizens’ right to receive information freely, truthfully and objectively.

Its mandate extends well beyond news and entertainment. It encompasses the dissemination of information, promotion of education and literacy, and support for agriculture, rural development, health, science and technology. It also seeks to provide adequate representation to India’s diverse languages, cultures and regional identities.

Through its extensive broadcasting network, Prasar Bharati continues to play an important role in public communication, connecting government initiatives and programmes with citizens while providing platforms for information, education and cultural expression.

Radio: A Familiar Voice Across Generations

For generations of Indians, radio has been much more than a medium of communication. It has been a familiar companion in homes, farms, workplaces and community spaces, bringing news, music, information and entertainment into everyday life. In an era when telephones and other means of instant communication were not widely accessible, radio connected people with events and developments across the country and the world. From agricultural advisories and weather information to educational programmes, public announcements and important national messages, it played a significant role in taking information to communities across geographical and linguistic boundaries, particularly in rural and remote areas.

Beyond its functional role, radio has also acquired a distinct emotional and cultural place in the lives of people. Its familiar voices, signature tunes and shared listening experiences have become part of collective memories across generations. Even as communication technologies have transformed, this enduring connect continues to give radio a special place in India’s public communication landscape.

This continuing relevance is reflected in contemporary initiatives such as Mann Ki Baat, through which the Prime Minister connects with citizens across the country through radio, sharing ideas, experiences and stories from India’s social and cultural life. The programme illustrates how radio continues to serve as a medium of direct communication and shared national conversation, even in an increasingly digital world.

Carrying the Public Voice into the Digital Age

In the Age of Information and Internet, communication technologies have transformed the way people access, consume and share information. Smartphones, social media networks and over-the-top (OTT) platforms have given people greater choices today in how, when and where they engage with information and content.

Yet, even amid this rapidly changing media landscape, radio and public service broadcasting continue to hold considerable relevance. Their role in disseminating information, promoting public awareness, reaching diverse communities and connecting people across geographical and linguistic boundaries remains significant. Rather than being displaced by newer technologies, traditional broadcasting has adapted to the digital age by expanding its presence across online platforms and embracing new modes of content delivery.

Akashvani and Doordarshan are part of this evolving landscape, extending their reach through digital platforms and adapting their content and delivery mechanisms to changing audience preferences. Initiatives such as WAVES OTT represent another dimension of this transition, creating new avenues for audiences to access India’s diverse audiovisual content through digital platforms.

The convergence of traditional broadcasting and emerging digital technologies is creating a more interconnected communication ecosystem. While social media and digital platforms have transformed the speed and nature of information exchange, public service broadcasting continues to fulfil an important responsibility: providing credible information, promoting education and awareness, reflecting India’s cultural and linguistic diversity, and connecting citizens with matters of public interest.

Connecting a Nation, Across Generations and Platforms

Public Service Broadcasting Day is an occasion to recognize the contribution of India’s public broadcasting institutions to the country’s social, cultural and developmental journey. From the early radio transmissions of the 1920s and Mahatma Gandhi’s historic address in 1947 to the nationwide presence of Akashvani and Doordarshan, India’s broadcasting journey has evolved alongside the aspirations and changing needs of its people.

The enduring significance of public service broadcasting lies in its commitment to serving citizens through credible information, education, public awareness and cultural engagement. By giving voice to India’s diversity, reaching communities across geographical and linguistic boundaries, and communicating matters of public interest, public broadcasting continues to play an important role in strengthening national integration and supporting the country’s developmental journey.

As India moves further into the digital age, the strength of public broadcasting will lie in its ability to combine the credibility and public service ethos of traditional media with the reach, accessibility and possibilities offered by emerging technologies.

At the end, it must be emphasized that from the airwaves that connected a young nation in 1947 to the expanding horizons of public communication today, India’s broadcasting journey reflects an enduring commitment to keeping citizens informed, engaged and connected.