All India Radio

Akashvani
TypeGovernment Organisation
Country
Broadcast area
Nationwide
HeadquartersAkashvani Bhavan
Sansad Marg, New Delhi – 110001, Delhi, India
MottoBahujanahitāya Bahujanasukhāya[1]
For the benefit of many people and the happiness of many people
Ownership
OwnerPrasar Bharati
ParentGovernment of India
Key people
Mousumi Chakraborty, Director General
History
Launch date8 June 1936; 88 years ago (1936-06-08) (as All India Radio)
AIR 5 May 2023; 18 months ago (2023-05-05) (as Akashvani)
Coverage
AvailabilityNational
International
Links
WebsiteAll India Radio, News on AIR

All India Radio (AIR), also known as Akashvani (lit.'Voice from the sky' or 'Oracle'), is an Indian state-owned public radio broadcaster founded by the Government of India, owned by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and one of Prasar Bharati's two divisions. It was established in 1936.[2] It is the sister service of Prasar Bharati's Doordarshan, an Indian television broadcaster.[3] Headquartered in the Akashvani Bhavan building in New Delhi, it houses the Drama Section, the FM Section, and the National Service, and is also home to the Indian television station Doordarshan Kendra, (Delhi).

In terms of the number of languages transmitted, the range of socioeconomic variety it serves, and the size of its broadcasting organisation, Akashvani is the largest radio network in the world. 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, and has programming in 23 languages and 179 dialects.[4]

A stamp on Akashvani Silver Jubilee
  1. ^ "Mission of AIR". allindiaradio.gov.in. Retrieved 4 September 2021.
  2. ^ "Milestones of AIR (official website)". All India Radio. Retrieved 13 January 2013.
  3. ^ Home page: All India Radio prasarbharati.gov.in. Retrieved 4 September 2021
  4. ^ "AIR Home". prasarbharati.gov.in. Retrieved 28 February 2020.