The Amazement of Shortwave Radio and the 'Three Sisters' of AIR Guwahati!
Translation of an Original Article written in Assamese by Rajib Borthakur, who has been associated with Central Board of Film Certification, Indian Information Service, Doordarshan Imphal as Deputy Director(News), Doordarshan Kolkata as Assistant Director, and AIR Guwahati as News Editor Original Article was published in Dainik Janambhoomi, an Assamese Daily, on 20-Dec-2020. Below is the URL to this article: https://ift.tt/3mOoVVL 2014&page=5&article=1.jpg&cid=28664&fbclid=IwAR1bN_NWhcDS3PsII92AsP_UgHO-euQpFCgKe7bWKugXub-jfL1NuO5ftio
Translated by Sujoy Chatterjee, a listener.
Right from the 60s to the end of the 80s-decade, radio transistor used to be an inseparable part of life in most households. It was a mandatory item that the young picnic goers would love to put in their baskets. But, miles away from the city population, deep inside the forests or up on the hills, with Medium Wave (MW) signals either too weak or the broadcasts unavailable after midnight, how would have those picnic guys listened to the radio then? People belonging to that era, who had radio transistors at home, would probably know the answer. Yes, it was the Short Wave (SW) radio indeed!Radio waves entering the transistor receiver by getting reflected from ionosphere, made it possible for listeners to listen to the BBC, the Voice of America, the Radio Ceylon (SLBC) and many other international broadcasts, sitting at any remote corner of the region.
Along with all those popular foreign radio stations, among the Indian shortwave stations that gained large-scale popularity in those days, was the C-channel of All India Radio Guwahati. All the articles about AIR Guwahati published so far were mostly centred around the programmes of its A-channel, the main primary channel. Most people are unaware of the fact that at a time when every AIR station had just one local channel (except for the four metros, Hyderabad and Jalandhar), the Guwahati station had three channels. The primary A-channel was on MW 411.5m and SW 41.20m/60.73m. The B-channel was on MW 289.9m while the C-channel was on SW 41.69m/62.83m/90m. In those days, there was no morning broadcast on the B-channel, however, the C-channel had morning broadcast containing Nepali programme and the relayed Mizo programme of Shillong station. The afternoon transmission from 12 PM was a combined broadcast of B and C channels, in which the slot 12:30 PM to 2:10 PM was allocated for the highly popular Troops programme, better known by 'Sainik Bhaiyon ka Karyakram'. There used to be an evening session of the Troops programme as well, but available only on the C-channel (SW 62.83m) from 5:05 PM to 5:45 PM. The day programme used to be relayed by AIR Dibrugarh for 30 minutes from 1:30 PM to 2:00 PM (and later, from 1:10 PM to 1:40 PM), whereas the evening programme used to be initially relayed by AIR Agartala and Siliguri stations. During the 60s, 70s and 80s, radio was the only medium for listening to Hindi film songs. On the Shortwave, Radio Ceylon (that later became Srilanka Broadcasting Corporation, SLBC) and Vividh Bharati were the only stations that provided substantial Hindi film music-based entertainment. In 1962, during the Sino-Indian War, there was heavy deployment of armed forces in the North-Eastern part of the country. In order to entertain the troops personnel, who were away from their families for the service to the nation, AIR Guwahati decided to start a nearly two-and-a-half-hour-long daily broadcast for the troops, which would contain various attractive programmes based on Hindi film music. This instantly clicked with not only the troops listeners but with every normal listener of the region. Lovers of Hindi film music started tuning in to this broadcast for their daily dose of afternoon entertainment. Not only the listeners of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh (NEFA) and Tripura were addicted to this broadcast, but also thousands of military and civilian listeners from the neighbouring states of West Bengal and Bihar became its ardent followers. And among those listeners was a teenaged girl living in the campus of Danapur Army Cantonment in Bihar, who one day accidentally stumbled upon this programme when few military personnel were listening to it in the cantonment. This teenaged girl later became one of the presenters of this programme. We shall get back to her story in later part of this article!
In 1962, the Indian Government gave a special status to AIR Guwahati due to its strategic location post Sino-Indian War and directed the station to design and produce a special broadcast for the troops deployed in the entire North-East region. At that time, the Assistant Station Director (who later became the Station Director) of AIR Guwahati was Gopal Das, an eminent scholar from Orissa. Specifically, for this programme, the AIR Directorate General transferred Programme Executive O. P. Tandon from Patna to Guwahati. Gopal Das and O. P. Tandon jointly started the selection process for two voices who would handle the Hindi section of AIR Guwahati as announcers. The selection criteria were speaking fluency, correct Hindi pronunciation and voice quality. The two young ladies, who were finally shortlisted, were Manjula Saha and Bimlesh Arya. And thus was laid the foundation of 'Sainik Bhaiyon Ka Karyakram'. Mr. Tandon thought that the Troops programme should be one that could create a space in the hearts of those countless jawaans, who were posted at the borders and in remote areas, thousands of miles away from their families and loved ones. He wanted this programme not to be just like any other film songs- based programme that would simply play mixed film songs. His vision for this programme was different.He wanted it to be a close friend of the troops, with which they could share their feelings, their happiness, their loneliness, their problems. When the Station Director heard about this concept, he jumped at the idea and instantly approved it. And this led to the introduction of 'Patrottar' section of the programme, that is weekly reading and replying to the letters sent by the jawaans. For this Patrottar programme, O. P. Tandon took the name 'Chacha' and gave Manjula Saha the name 'Bhatija'. Bhatija would read the letters and questions sent by the forces while Chacha gave their replies just like an elderly uncle of the family, with a very personal touch. However, within a short period of time, O. P. Tandon got transferred from Guwahati. Manjula Saha also got married and had to leave for Ahmedabad,thus resigning from AIR and leaving behind the programme with Bimlesh Arya alone. Bimlesh Arya, whose husband's workplace was Guwahati, could continue with 'Sainik Bhaiyon Ka Karyakram' for 35 long years till her retirement. In 1968, Tapasi Sengupta made an entry to this programme. Starting as a Casual Announcer, she became a Regular Announcer in 1972. In 1971, Sadhana Phukan joined as a Casual Announcer and became regular in 1974. The Programme Executive during 1971-72 was Rajendra Prasad. As a fatherly figure, observing the looks and nature of Bimlesh Arya, Tapasi Sengupta and Sadhana Phukan, he decided names for them which would replace the 'Chacha-Bhatija' concept.Bimlesh Arya was named as Rekha based on her lean and thin looks, Tapasi Sengupta was named as Seema due to her nature of limited speaking, and Sadhana Phukan was named as Meeta due to her ever smiling, friendly and jolly nature. Within a very short period, the three announcers became Rekha Bahen, Seema Bahen and Meeta Bahen for the thousands of their listeners. The Chacha-Bhatija concept was successfully replaced by the 'teen bahen' concept. For the next three decades, these "three sisters" not only remained the favourite sisters of the troops listeners but also became sisters of thousands of normal listeners as well, from all over the North-East and Eastern parts of the country. The standard of 'Sainik Bhaiyon Ka Karyakram' was so high that many radio veteran listeners would compare it with that of Mumbai's Vividh Bharati and Radio Ceylon's Hindi programmes. And behind this was the responsible attitude of the three announcers, their deep interest in the programme and above all, their quality of touching the nerves of the listeners and make them part of the programme. Rekha, Seema and Meeta bahen had taken the presentation style of Hindi film music to a level such that the mesmerized listeners would listen to the programmes one after the other, be it 'Aaj Ka Geet' or 'Aapki Farmaish', or 'Swar Sangam', 'Geet Apna Dhun Paraai', 'Geet Manoranjan', 'Geet Mala', 'Swar Chhaya', 'Ek Hi Film Ke Geet', 'Watan Ke Taraane', 'Ek Aur Anek' or any other. The popularity of the programme could be ascertained by the fact that around 90% of the daily letters that AIR Guwahati received those days were Forces Letters. The present-day listeners would be surprized to know that the songs that received the highest number of requests from the Troops were played as part of the daily 'Aaj Ka Geet' section. At times, it would take a longer time to read the names of the listeners than the duration of the song itself. Many a times troops personnel visited the radio station to have a glimpse of their favourite sisters. Many would write their personal problems and the three sisters would respond to them in the 'Patrottar' section. There have been countless instances when the jawaans living away from their families were benefitted by such affectionate replies and solutions to their problems that they received from this station. Be it temporary make-shift tents, bunkers, canteens or forests, the jawaans waited eagerly to hear their names, ranks and the songs they had requested for. From Bumla Pass to Hasimara, from Doklam to Tawang, from Changsari to Chhaihaloi, the troops listeners spanned the entire length and breadth of the region.
AIR Guwahati's 'Sainik Bhaiyon ka Karyakram' can still be heard from 12:10 PM to 2:30 PM on the same B-channel on MW 289.9m. However, the Shortwave has been discontinued. Instead a DRM frequency of 1044 kHz has been assigned. On the Mediumwave, listeners of Kamrup, Nalbari, Darrang, Odalguri and Morigaon districts can listen to this broadcast. Although the range of DRM is higher than the normal Mediumwave, there are hardly any DRM listeners. The present casual announcers try their level best to present the programmes walking on the same path as shown by those three legendary announcers, and thus carrying forward the legacy and heritage of AIR Guwahati. However, time has now changed. And so, does technology. To listen to one's favourite songs, the listeners no longer have to sit near the radio.Even being at the most remote corners of the country, the troops listeners have many alternatives to listen to songs and entertain themselves. As a result, there are now practically no letters received from the troops' personnel. They no longer request for songs, nor do they write their problems. Aaj Ka Geet and Geet Mala are no longer request based programmes. Patrottar has been discontinued. The four-day Aapki Farmaish has been replaced by other programmes like Tarang, Sabrang, Gunjan and Geetika. For the radio lovers of AIR Guwahati, 'Sainik Bhaiyon Ka Karyakram' and its 'three sisters' are now nostalgia,which they will cherish in their memories forever.
Bimlesh Arya (Rekha Bahen):
The senior most announcer, Bimlesh Arya retired from her services on 31-December 2000 and returned to her hometown Bareilly. On 17-September 2020, she passed away after a brief illness at the age of 80 and left behind her golden signature on the immortal history of AIR Guwahati's 'Sainik Bhaiyon ka Karyakram'.
Tapasi Sengupta (Seema Bahen):
With her father working in the Controller of Defence Accounts, Tapasi Sengupta grew up in Danapur Army Cantonment, Bihar, along with her two brothers and two sisters. They used to stay in Army quarter and the Kendriya Vidyalaya, where she studied, was in the centre of the cantonment. One day around 1:30 PM after the school was over, while returning home, walking along the army barracks and the canteen, she heard AIR Guwahati's 'Sainik Bhaiyon ka Karyakram' for the first time. Due to its unique style, she got interested in it. Within a short period of time, she developed a strong liking for this programme and wished she could also present this programme someday. God listened to her prayers. To her disbelief, her father was transferred to Narangi's Army Cantonment, located near Guwahati. In the absence of vacant army quarters, Tapasi's father had to rent a house. And it was just behind the building of AIR Guwahati, near the Red Cross Hospital. Tapasi was a college student at that time. One day she heard an announcement in the same programme that there was a requirement of casual announcers. She immediately applied and got selected. This was in 1968. She was thrilled to share the studio with Manjula Saha and Bimlesh Arya, whom she had idolized since her Danapur school days. She became a regular announcer in 1972 and continued till her retirement in 2010. She shared her golden memories with the author of this article over telephone from Kolkata. She remembered how they used to continue with the entertainment of the troops despite tough situations like the gherao of AIR station during Assam Andolan, Janata Curfew and so on. "I am immensely happy with what I have received from my service life", says Seema Bahen, Tapasi Sengupta over telephone. She currently lives in Diamond Park area on Diamond Harbour Road, Kolkata.
Sadhana Phukan (Meeta Bahen):
Retired Subedar Major Guneshwar Bora of British Indian Army (and later Indian Army), had four children – two sons and two twin daughters Geeta and Sadhana. Due to the transferrable nature of job of her father, Sadhana Phukan completed her education at various places including Dehradoon, Ranchi and Pune. Sadhana Phukan says that despite her mother tongue being Assamese, she is more comfortable speaking in Hindi. After her marriage, she settled in Guwahati. One day her husband came across a newspaper advertisement for the requirement of Hindi casual announcers at AIR Guwahati and asked her if she would like to apply. She jumped at the idea. She was selected as Casual Announcer in 1971 and became a Regular Announcer in 1974. She retired from her services in 2011 after completing her complete tenure. She currently resides at her home located in Beltala, Guwahati.
Forwarded by : Sujoy Chatterjee ,soojoi_india@yahoo.co.in