(By: F.Sheheryar)*

On this day, December 1, 1947, Radio Kashmir Jammu was commissioned, seven months before its twin establishment in Srinagar came into existence in July 1948. Strategically, Jammu was ideally positioned to disseminate programmes  designed for the people here as well as those in Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK), united by a shared heritage, language and cultural harmony, while enduring the pain of an inhuman and unnatural partition.

Radio Jammu, now 77 years old, rose to the challenge of fulfilling its mandate with professional precision and determination, delivering powerful broadcasts to audiences trapped in the obdurate quagmire of asphyxiation caused by  a nonsensical division of hearts.

A galaxy of exceptional broadcast professionals, including Thakur Poonchi, Bodh Raj Sharma, Kishen Dutt, Maikash Kashmiri, Mahmood Ahmed, C. Parwana, Rajender Gupta, Ram Nath Shastri and Yash Sharma, developed programmes  in diverse formats. Their efforts received commendations through India’s diplomatic channels, highlighting the nation’s sagacity while dismaying those responsible for the partition’s tragic consequences.

Radio Kashmir Jammu travelled long miles and  carved a niche for itself and  today a fierce breeze (coming from unknown directions) finds itself somewhat deplumed like other sister establishments across the landscape.May the public service broadcasting landscape of India reinvent itself to serve the last person standing.

Inaugural Broadcast

The station’s inaugural broadcast featured an address by Maharaja Hari Singh at 6:30 PM on December 1, 1947 , marking a historic moment witnessed by  then Union Home Minister Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. Initially operating from classrooms at Ranbir High School Jammu and later shifted to iconic `Begum Ki Haveli’ at Panjtirthi, Jammu in 1952, the station provided critical updates and guidance to refugees while addressing malicious propaganda through traditional Dogri and Kashmiri songs.

Under the Director Generalship of J.N. Zutshi, who recruited the early staff, the station brought together eminent talents such as Thakur Poonchi, Bodh Raj Sharma, Rajinder Singh Bedi, Yash Sharma and Mahmood Ahmed. Pioneering programmers like Kishen Dutt, Maikash Kashmiri and C. Parwana created impactful content that resonated with audiences. It used to broadcast public speeches and talks of eminent personalities of the erstwhile State.By 1954, the station had merged with All India Radio, retaining the name “Radio Kashmir” to reflect its regional ethos until it was renamed “All India Radio Jammu” in 2019.

Nurturing Local Talent

Radio Kashmir Jammu nurtured local culture and languages, including Dogri, Gojri, Pahari and Punjabi. It supported literary giants like Padma Sachdev, Shiv Nirmohi and Ved Kumari Ghai, while its music programmes featured luminaries such as Pandit Uma Dutt Sharma, Girdhari Lal Pant and Anita Sharma. Dramas and series like Noor Din and Goga-Lachhu, written by visionaries like Mehmood Ahmed and Krishan Dutt, became household staples. Artists from neighboring States also used to visit the Station.

The station also introduced innovations like regional news bulletins in Dogri and Gojri, “Yuv-Vani” programmes for the youth and community radio sets across the region to ensure accessibility. It earned accolades, including national-level Akashvani awards, and continues to broadcast a diverse range of programmes using advanced technology. Its programmes are also broadcast over high-quality transmitters set-up at  Rajouri, Nowshehra and 10 KW FM Transmitter at Patnitop.

As we celebrate 77 years of this iconic institution, let us honor its remarkable contribution to nation-building, cultural preservation and public service broadcasting. Radio Kashmir Jammu remains a beacon of resilience and unity, amplifying the voices of the people across generations.

*F. Sheheryar, a former Director General of All India Radio, has also served as the President of the Asia-Pacific Institute for Broadcast Development (AIBD) and as a Member of the Prasar Bharati Board. Notably, he has held the position of Station Director at both Radio Kashmir Jammu and Radio Kashmir Srinagar.