Every year, the World Radio Day is observed on February 13. In the busy city of Dubai when I travel by car, I listen to the radio and it is my companion during the long journeys.
At present, we live in an age where we do not have to carry transistors and walk around. These are now accessible in our vehicles and even on our mobile phones. The rectangular boxes with two knobs, one for controlling the volume, and the other for tuning into radio stations were a common sight in most homes, before the television.
History says radio broadcasting began in the US in the mid 1920s. In India, it began in 1923 while India was still under the British Rule. The All India Radio came into existence in 1932, and until then, this service was known as the Indian State Broadcasting Service (ISBS).
In my childhood, the radio was the medium of communication. We got to know about the hourly news update in vernacular language and the English news at nine in the evening were eagerly waited for, especially during the elections and on the day of results. We also listened to quizzes and songs. Our teachers would insist we listen to the English news to help improve our diction and increase our general knowledge. The radio connected us with the world and was next only to newspapers. People would listen to cricket commentaries on radio and that was pulsating.
My innocent mind at that time could not understand how we could hear people talking through a box. There was always eagerness to find out how it worked. It was magical and we were awestruck. With the dawn of the television, during the early 80s the radio lost its place in the living rooms of homes. But even today the nostalgia of listening to the radio brings back some sweet memories of childhood.
President ,International Radio Listeners Friendship & Fraternity Club.
Email : kansalmitul@gmail.com
Email : kansalmitul@gmail.com