Dr. P. Athiyaman, Programme Head, All India Radio, Chennai retired on 31st January, 2021 after 30 years of glorious and blemishless service. He was selected by UPSC and joined as a Programme Executive in the year 1991 at AIR Puducherry. He has worked as PEX in CBS, Chennai, Home Service Chennai, AIR Tirupathi and as an ADP in AIR Kodaikanal. During his period in Kodaikanal, FM kodai has earned maximum revenue and was awarded as Best FM Station in Tamil Nadu by 'Ananda Vikatan' a popular Tamil Weekly.
During his services in CBS Chennai, Dr. Athiyaman proposed 1:1 Bonus to FM Channels to compete with Private Players. Now, AIR offers 1:2 Bonus, which proves that his proposal is a success formula and it still has value in the commercial scenario. And he proposed FM pattern programmes to AIR Karaikal which made the Channel still popular among listeners and Advertisers.
During his short tenure in AIR Chennai as Programme Head, he ably handled the Station during the Corona period by introducing innovative Online programmes. ABS, E-office, Rebranding of Radio Channels were being implemented by Prasar Bharati and he made everyone to learn the new technology introduced by Prasar Bharati. Shri V. Ramakanth, DDG ( Content Operations ) has commended his understanding of the Rebranding of Radio Channels.
Dr. Athiyaman has earned his Doctorate in Tamil from Madras Presidency College under University of Madras. His Doctorate thesis was on Va.Ramaswamy Iyengar, a Manikodi Writer and biographer of Subramaniya Bharathiyar. His well documented scholarly works on Cheranmadevi Gurukulam Struggle against caste segregation and Vaikom temple street access Satyagraha led by EV Ramasamy Periyar and other congress leaders are unique contribution to Tamil Modern History. His biographical treatise on Former Tamilnadu Congress Committee Chairman Dr.Varadhadarajulu Naidu was well received. He has also written biographies of Tamil writer Thi.Ja.Ranganathan for Sahitya Academy and Freedom Fighter George Joseph for a popular publication house. He has compiled Short Stories of eminent Tamil Writer Ku.Azhagirisamy and edited the complete poetry collection of Mahakavi Subramanya Bharathiyar in a lucid way for the readers of younger generation.
A prolific essayist and columnist Dr. Athiyaman is known for his light satire and easy to read mode of writing. He is a down-to-earth person and a man of few words who is known for his simplicity. Dr. Athiyaman is a very dedicated, hardworking and disciplined Officer.
Prasar Bharati Parivar wishes him a very happy, healthy, peaceful, long and contended retired life.