The story of our Akashvani: A century of sound, culture, and connection

As All India Radio approaches its centenary year in 2026, ‘The Story of Our Akashvani’ arrives as a nostalgic, insightful, and richly detailed tribute to India’s oldest and most influential broadcasting institution. For readers who grew up in the 1950s and beyond, AIR—popularly known as Akashvani—was not just a radio service, but a daily companion that shaped news consumption, entertainment, culture, and collective memory. This book captures that essence with warmth, historical depth, and fascinating trivia that illuminate the remarkable journey of India’s airwaves.

A Century-Long Journey, Told with Intimacy

The story begins in 1923 with humble, enthusiast-run radio clubs in Bombay and Calcutta. These pioneers struggled with imported sets, expensive licences, and limited audiences, yet they laid the foundation for something far bigger. The book charts the evolution from the short-lived Indian Broadcasting Company (1926) to the government-run Indian State Broadcasting Service (ISBS), and finally, to All India Radio—a name suggested rather casually by Viceroy Lord Linlithgow in conversation with a BBC expert in 1936.

Readers are treated to engaging anecdotes, such as how AIR’s famous signature tune—based on Raga Shivranjani—was composed by Walter Kaufman in 1937, or how multiple stories still float around the origin of the word Akashvani. These details make the book feel like both a historical chronicle and a lovingly preserved oral history.

Voices That Became Family

One of the book’s most endearing sections revisits the legendary newsreaders, commentators, and announcers whose voices generations grew up with. Melville de Mellow’s baritone, Surajit Sen’s clarity, Dicky Rutnagur’s crisp diction, and Barun Haldar’s authority are brought back to life with vivid nostalgia.

Sports lovers will relish the reminders of Novy Kapadia, Sushil Doshi, Dr. Narottam Puri, and Ghaus Mohammad—the commentators who made cricket accessible before television arrived. The authors even note that the first cricket commentary in India aired from Mumbai in 1934, tying the growth of AIR directly to the rise of cricket’s massive popularity.

Radio Theatre, Music, and the Golden Era

The book dives deep into the vibrant culture of radio plays, with contributions from literary giants like Harindranath Chattopadhyay, Rajendra Singh Bedi, and Faiz Ahmad Faiz. Film stars such as Om Prakash, Balraj Sahni, Begum Akhtar, and Kamini Kaushal graced these productions, creating a golden era of radio theatre that is rarely remembered today.

Music, too, plays a central role in the narrative. From classical music broadcasts—marred at times by contentious grading systems—to the irresistible pull of Radio Ceylon’s film songs, the book navigates both triumphs and tensions. It recounts how the popularity of Binaca Geetmala forced AIR to rethink its conservative stance and launch Vividh Bharati, which soon became a national sensation. Moments like listening to Kishore Kumar’s “Aaj Pehli Tarikh Hai” on the first of every month, evoking both joy and financial anxiety at home, add unaffected, personal charm.

Ads, Jingles, and the Business of Broadcasting

Another compelling chapter covers the rise of advertising and jingles on radio. While the first radio ad was broadcast in America in 1926, India embraced the format only in 1965. The book celebrates the creativity behind unforgettable jingles—from Lifebuoy to Nirma—and spotlights Sukhjinder Kaur of AIR’s Central Marketing Division, who drove the unit to earn ₹350 crore in revenue in just one year.

A Comprehensive, Charming Tribute

What makes ‘The Story of Our Akashvani’ truly special is its ability to blend history, anecdote, nostalgia, and cultural analysis into a seamless narrative. The authors present AIR not merely as an institution, but as a living cultural archive that shaped modern India. Their writing is affectionate yet well-researched, making the book both enjoyable and enlightening.

The review notes the authors’ promise and expresses a hope for a sequel—one that might focus more on regional stations and the unsung heroes behind them. Given the richness of the subject, such a continuation would indeed be welcome.

Verdict

A beautifully crafted, feature-worthy chronicle, ‘The Story of Our Akashvani’ is a must-read for anyone interested in media history, nostalgia, or the evolution of Indian culture through sound. It is both a celebration and a remembrance—a reminder of an era when a nation came together around a single frequency.