All India Radio
All India Radio (AIR) aka Akashvani (literal meaning "Voice from the Sky"), is an Indian state-owned public radio broadcaster founded by the Government of India, owned by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and one of Prasar Bharati's two divisions. It was established in 1936. It is the sister service of Prasar Bharati's Doordarshan, an Indian television broadcaster. Headquartered in the Akashvani Bhavan building in New Delhi, it houses the Drama Section, the FM Section, and the National Service, and is also home to the Indian television station Doordarshan Kendra, (Delhi).
Headquarters at Sansad Marg, New Delhi | |
| Type | Government Organisation |
|---|---|
| Country | |
| Headquarters | Akashvani Bhavan Sansad Marg, New Delhi – 110001, Delhi, India |
| Motto | Bahujanahitaya Bahujanasukhaya (बहुजनहिताय बहुजनसुखाय) |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | Prasar Bharati |
| Parent | Government of India |
| History | |
| Launch date | 8 June 1936
(as All India Radio) AIR 5 May 2023 (as Akashvani) |
| Coverage | |
| Availability | National International |
| Links | |
| Website | All India Radio, News on AIR |
In terms of the number of languages transmitted, the range of socioeconomic variety it serves, and the size of its broadcasting organisation, Akashvani is the largest radio network in the world. AIR's home service comprises 420 stations located across the country, reaching nearly 92% of the country's area and 99.19% of the total population, and has programming in 23 languages and 179 dialects.