Want to hear Rajaji’s actual voice? Tune in to the All India Radio (AIR) Chennai at 7 am this Sunday. That is when it will broadcast Rajaji’s speech besides unveil a memorial pillar on its campus here to mark its platinum jubilee.
Speaking to reporters here, K P Srinivasan, Additional Director General (in charge), AIR said the Chennai station will be completing 75 years of service to the nation on June 16. “The Chennai AIR was inaugurated on June 16, 1938 by Rajaji, the then premier of Madras Presidency. His inaugural speech will be broadcast on June 16 at 7 am in Chennai A [720 kHz],” he said.
A function to celebrate the jubilee will be held on June 18 at Vani Mahal in T Nagar. Jawahar Sircar, CEO of Prasar Bharati will participate. A vocal recital will be performed by M Balamuralikrishna and folk arts presentation by NC Kandeepan and troupe.
Chennai AIR started functioning on Marshalls Road, Egmore in 1938 and moved on to its present location in on July 19, 1954. It started the popular ‘Vividhbarathi’ in 1957 and Commercial Broadcast Service was launched in 1968. In 1977, the country’s first FM channel was launched in Chennai on an experimental basis.
Among its huge archival collections, Chennai AIR has 20,000 tapes covering various fields, including music, speeches of leaders, arts, drama and cinema.
For the past one year, AIR Chennai has been broadcasting speeches of various leaders including Kamaraj and Annaduarai to mark its jubilee year. A souvenir will be released on July 23 to mark 86 years of broadcasting in India.
