AIR A26

Akashvani World Service A26

https://prasarbharati.gov.in/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/External-Services-29.03.2026-.pdf

MIB announces change from All India Radio To Akashvani

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (I&B) has announced that All India Radio (AIR) will now be known as Akashvani, as per a provision of the Prasar Bharati (Broadcasting Corporation of India) Act, 1990.

The next radio bulletin in English on the government-run service will begin with the announcement, "This is Akashvani," instead of the current announcement, "This is All India Radio."

Full story at :

https://www.outlookindia.com/national/ministry-of-information-and-broadcasting-announces-change-from-all-india-radio-to-news-283549

Special Ramadan programs by AIR Srinagar, Kupwara

This year, the holy month of Ramadan started on  March 22, 2023 and will end in the evening of Friday, April 21, 2023.

As in the past All India Radio stations in Jammu & Kashmir is broadcasting special devotional programs on the occasion in the early hours as follows:

Eg 4.00 am to 4.50 am IST (2230 to 2320 UTC)  Timings vary slightly

AIR Srinagar 1116 kHz  300 kW
AIR Kupwara 1350 kHz 20 kW

(Jose Jacob, NIAR, Hyderabad, India)

AIR starts weekly news bulletin in "Halbi' language

All India Radio has started a weekly news bulletin in "Halbi' language with effect from 26th March, 2023.

The 15-minute-long weekly news bulletin will be broadcast from All India Radio Jagdalpur station every Sunday at 7:30 am.

Virtually Inaugurating the news service of Prasar-Bharti in the 'Halbi' dialect of Bastar, Home Minister Amit Shah noted that this day is a great matter of joy for Chhattisgarh. In a tweet, Mr Shah expressed delight at enabling the people of that region to know the news of the country and the world in the local language through this broadcast. .

Chief Executive officer of Prasar Bharati Gaurav Dwivedi was also present on the occasion. While talking to media, he said that local languages and dialects prove to be most effective in providing news and other information to people in remote rural areas.

 

AIR A23

The A23 schedule of All India Radio External Services is now available as follows :

Time Wise:   https://qsl.net/vu2jos/es/time.htm
Language Wise: https://www.qsl.net/vu2jos/es/Language.htm
Frequency Wise: https://www.qsl.net/vu2jos/sw/freq.htm

Reception Reports to: spectrum-manager@prasarbharati.gov.in

The A23 DX South Asia Guide is available in
https://qsl.net/vu2jos/DXSA

(Jose Jacob, VU2JOS, NIAR, Hyderabad, India)

All India Radio to broadcast its Annual Dr. Rajendra Prasad Memorial Lecture on December 3, 2022

All India Radio will broadcast the annual Edition of Dr. Rajendra Prasad Memorial Lecture on Saturday, December 3, 2022. Lok Sabha Speaker Shri Om Birla will deliver the address. It will be on air from 9.30pm onwards on Saturday, December 3, 2022 across the entire network of All India Radio. Listeners can tune into 100.1FM GOLD, 102.6 FM Rainbow, primary Channels of All India Radio, @airnewsalerts on Twitter, NewsOnAirOfficial YouTube Channel and NewsOnAir App to access the broadcast.

Doordarshan News will telecast Dr. Rajendra Prasad Memorial Lecture from 10.30pm onwards the same day.

The theme this year is "Amrit Kaal Mein Bhartiyata" to coincide with the 75 years of India's independence.

About Dr. Rajendra Prasad Memorial Lecture:

Dr. Rajendra Prasad Memorial Le ture is organized by All lndia Radio in the memory of the first President of India, Dr. Rajendra Prasad who was an epitome of simplicity, a renowned scholar, President of the Constituent Assembly and a great visionary who had India and Indianness uppermost in his mind.

The lecture series by AIR in his memory has been an honoured tradition since 1969. Eminent personalities like the former President Dr. Shankardayal Sharma, former P
rime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee, firmer Vice President M.Venkaiah Naidu, doyens of Indian literature like Hazari Prasad Dwivedi, Mahadevi Verma, Harivansh Rai Bachchan are among those who have delivered this prestigious memorial lecture in the past on wide ranging subjects on India's cultural ethos and its strides.

The recording of the lecture, is broadcast across the entire network of All lndia Radio on 3rd December every year to mark the birth anniversary of Dr. Rajendra Prasad, the first President of India. The lecture series seeks to evaluate the nation's political, cultural and social environment. The achievements and the future prospects of the country are also critically analysed through these lectures.

(Saurabh Singh, Press Information Bureau, Government of India, Ministry of Information & Broadcasting)

Implementation of Broadcast Air-Time Scheduler (BATS) for all Commercial Operations of All India Radio

Implementation of Broadcast Air-Time Scheduler (BATS) for all Commercial Operations of All India Radio

In view to streamline and automate the commercial operations of Prasar Bharati, Shri Mayank Agarwal, CEO, PB and Shri D.P.S. Negi, Member (Finance), PB inaugurated a fully integrated Traffic & Billing application software "Broadcast Air-Time Scheduler (BATS)" for all Commercial Operations of All India Radio" on 7th November, 2022 at Prasar Bharati Secretariat.

Speaking on the occasion Shri Mayank Agarwal, CEO, Prasar Bharati said that "AIR adopts integrated system for better services. BATS can bring about transparency into the entire operations and make the entire commercial operations very efficient. It allows monitoring of booking, billing and payment receipts etc. at various stages and system can provide various reports which are very essential in taking many management decisions. App is also available on mobile. Software is menu driven enterprise which has been customized to the need of All India Radio making it more handy and useful."

Member Finance Shri D.P.S. Negi also said that "the most important advantage of full implementation of BATS will be to make the Receivable Management more effective and transparent. This will ensure that revenue leakages are avoided and will ensure 100% revenue assurance for the services rendered. It can be said that it's a great milestone in the history of All India Radio to roll out BATS."

BATS has been provided by M/s. Media Nucleus and has the following important features:

- To manage the scheduling and billing of advertising orders across multiple stations via one central

   database.

- Contracts are handled seamlessly from Release Order entry to single or multi-invoice billing.

- Increases operational efficiency and reduces cost.

- Media Sales Traffic increases the efficiency of the organization by providing traffic team a flexible

   solution for planning, scheduling and billing of spots.

- Ensures accurate billing by effectively managing account hierarchy, different Package and Products,

  Pricing plans, Content Rights Management, Automated Ad Booking along with Discounts offered on 

  bulk deals, Charges, and Billing cycle Invoicing.

- Payment processing and collections through integrated Payment Gateway of SBI.

****

(Saurabh Singh, Press Information Bureau, Government of India, Ministry of Information & Broadcasting)

Updated schedules for All India Radio External Services on shortwave

Updated schedules for All India Radio External Services on shortwave as on 18th June , 2022.

a)    Time Wise: https://qsl.net/vu2jos/es/time.htm

b)    Language Wise: https://qsl.net/vu2jos/es/Language.htm

c)    Frequency Wise: https://qsl.net/vu2jos/sw/freq.htm

(Jose Jacob, VU2JOS, National Institute of Amateur Radio, Hyderabad)

Mayank Kumar Agrawal is new CEO, Prasar Bharati

Mr. Mayank Kumar Agrawal (IIS-1989 batch), Director General, Doordarshan and Doordarshan News, has been given additional charge of Prasar Bharati CEO.

Earlier Mr Shashi Shekhar Vempati concluded his five-year term as the chief executive officer of public broadcaster Prasar Bharati that manages Doordarshan and All India Radio, on 8th June, 2022.

Mr Vempati was appointed as head of the public broadcaster in 2017 by a three-member committee headed by the Vice-President, as mandated under the Prasar Bharati Act

Profile of Shri Mayank Agrawal :  https://aibd.org.my/2021/08/07/profile-of-mr-mayank-agrawal/

AIR External Services - A22 schedule changes

All India Radio External Services A22 changes with effect from 9th June 2022

0100-0230  Tibetan 9910 (D)   Ex 9875
0130-0200  Sindhi 7380(B)
0145-0315 Nepali 11560(B)  (Ex D)
0315-0415 Burmese 11560(B)  (Ex D)
0400-0530 Farsi  17675 (B)   (Ex 0800-0830 UTC 15030)
0430-0600  Pashtu  Add 15185(B)
0530-0630  Arabic 15030(B) (Ex 0500-0600 UTC)
0900-1030  Nepali Add 9910(D), 15030(B)
1030-1200  Chinese  17560(B)  (EX 13795)
1045-1215  Tibetan Add 9910(D)
1230-1400 Pashtu 11560(B)    (Ex D)
1330-1500 Dari 9950(B)   (Ex 15030)
1600-1730 Farsi 9620(B)  (Ex 1615-1730)
2345-0115 Chinese 15050 (B)   (Ex 13795)              

All Timings in UTC and Frequencies in  kHz
B = Bengaluru 500 kW ,  D = Delhi 100 kW

The updated schedule is available at   https://qsl.net/vu2jos/es/time.htm

(Jose Jacob, VU2JOS)

AIR increases duration of its Persian language service

The External Services Division of the All India Radio is expanding its transmission of Persian (Farsi) language service from existing 1 hour 45 minutes per day to 3 hours per day with effect from June 8, 2022.

Programmes in Persian language will now be available to the listeners daily in the morning and evening.

Time & frequencies :

Persian -1 Service 0400-0530 UTC (0930-1100 IST) on 17675 kHz (Via Bengaluru, 500 kW)

Persian -2 Service 1600-1730 UTC (2130-2300 IST) on 9620 kHz  (Via Bengaluru, 500 kW)

AIR Persian Service will also be livestreamed on AIR World Service, YouTube channel, NewsOnAIR App and DD Free Dish.

AIR's External Services Division currently broadcasts in 17 languages every day.

AIR Delhi SW tests

All India Radio Delhi (Kingsway) 100 kW test transmission  :

Dates : 12th March & 15th to 19th March, 2021

1100-1330 IST (0530-0800 UTC) on 5900 kHz (NVIS Arial) VBS
1600-1730 IST (1030-1200 UTC) on 5900 kHz (NVIS Arial) VBS

Presently in AM mode, in future may be in DRM mode.

Reception reports to : spectrum-manager@prasarbharati.gov.in

(Alokesh Gupta)

AIR extended schedule on the ocassion of "Shivaratri" on 11th March '21

Watch out for extended schedule (past 2310 IST/1740 UTC) by AIR stations from South India carrying live broadcast/devotional programs songs/drama/talk etc in regional languages on the ocassion of religious festival "Shivaratri" on 11th March, 2021 (Thursday).

Andhra Pradesh in Telugu:

837 kHz Vijayawada

900 kHz Kadapah

927 kHz Visahakapatnam

Puducherry in Tamil

1215 kHz Puducherry

Karnataka in Kannada:

612 kHz Bengaluru

675 kHz Bhadrawathi

765 kHz Dharwad

1107 kHz Gulbarga

1089 kHz Udipi

Tamil Nadu State in Tamil:

720 kHz Chennai

936 kHz Tiruchirapalli

999 kHz Coimbatore

1197 kHz Tirunelveli

1269 kHz Madurai

Telangana State in Telugu:

738 kHz Hyderabad

Tamil FM stations from SriLanka also carry live relay of special program for Maha Shivaratri.

Last year AIR stations from Tamilnadu, Karnataka and Puducherry were not heard.

(Alokesh Gupta)

AIR Burmese back on air

All India Radio External Service in Burmese noted back today after many months with new  schedule 0245-0345 UTC on 9950 kHz  (Daily) 

(Jose Jacob, VU2JOS)

DRM in FM-Band Live On-Air in Delhi for Comprehensive Trial by All India Radio (AIR)

As of mid-February 2021, a full-featured DRM digital radio transmission with 3 audio services and Journaline advanced text information is live on-air in Delhi in the FM band, alongside the existing analogue FM radio transmissions.

The transmission is part of an extensive trial and demonstration of DRM conducted by Prasar Bharati and its radio arm, All India Radio (AIR), with the help of the DRM Consortium and its local and international members.

The test was officially launched on February 24th and 25th at the Headquarters of All India Radio in New Delhi.

The test was requested by the regulator TRAI and the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting as part of their deliberations that will lead to the recommendation of the most suitable radio standard to digitise the FM band in India.

DRM for FM is part of the ITU recommended all band DRM standard and was introduced in 2011 after sophisticated and successful trials (like the one in Edinburgh, UK) all over the world.  

https://www.drm.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/DRM-successful-trials-2021.pdf

DRM for FM is now part of official policies in Russia, Pakistan, and South Africa and is recommended by the Southern African Development Community (SADC) for its sixteen Southern African countries.

The current Indian trial is to be carried out in two locations. The first phase, in Delhi, will demonstrate and test the key features of DRM, its efficient coverage potential and flexible on-air signal configurations.  The second phase will be taking place in Jaipur and is designed to prove the compatibility with the FM band channelization in India, where DRM fills the gaps between existing analogue FM services that are not otherwise usable, as well as the existing CTI (shared FM transmitter infrastructure).

A whole set of receiver brands have made their DRM receiver solutions available for this trial, ensuring full support for DRM in all broadcast bands – from the regular DRM services on-air all over India, in the former AM bands by All India Radio, to now including DRM services in the FM band. Receiver models to be showcased during the trial include desktop and portable radio sets, automotive line-fit head-units with software upgrades to extend DRM support to the FM band, automotive after-market models and upgrade kits to enable DRM reception on virtually any Android based mobile phone available to Indian consumers today.

All India Radio and Prasar Bharati specialists and other Indian industry experts will experience, examine, and record DRM coverage potential. The various DRM features which can be showcased and experienced include:

- High-quality stereo and 5.1 surround sound, with up to 3 audio services plus multimedia per DRM 

  transmission 

- Multi-lingual Journaline text services such as Mann Ki Baat (the regular Prime Minister Modi

  broadcasts), travel information and news 

- Journaline-based applications such as Distance-Learning/Radio Schooling and Public Signage 

- EWF Emergency Warning Functionality with full CAP compliance

- Flexible multi-DRM transmission of up to 6 DRM signals - providing up to 24 DRM services (18 

  audio programmes plus 6 stand-alone Journaline services) from a single FM-band transmitter

- Simulcast of an analogue FM and a digital DRM signal side-by-side from a single transmitter.

- Interference-free insertion of digital DRM signals in the otherwise unavailable gaps between the 

  existing analogue FM services, which remain undisturbed.

Yogendra Pal, Hon. Chairman of the DRM India Chapter, explains: "This demonstration of DRM services in the FM band will be a feast of "firsts" for digital radio services and features in India, including the multi-DRM transmissions on a single transmitter or the distance learning enabled by the non-proprietary, open-to-all DRM radio standard."

Alexander Zink, Vice-Chairman of the DRM Consortium, highlights the extraordinary collaboration in these exceptional times between international DRM Consortium members and those present in India such as All India Radio and Technomedia.  "Technomedia, an Indian cornerstone of the radio industry, has been essential in providing the local logistics and carrying out sophisticated signal measurement campaigns. Gospell and StarWaves are providing consumer receiver solutions, while Fraunhofer IIS, Nautel, and RFmondial took care of the content, transmission side and professional monitoring receivers. NXP with industry partners Hyundai Mobis and Harman are supporting the DRM showcase with the latest FM-band upgrades to their existing automotive DRM receivers."

Ruxandra Obreja, DRM Chairman emphasizes the potential and impact of this trial for India's future digital radio environment: "We hope for good results at the end of this test where DRM has to be judged on its own merits and unmatched capabilities; we hope that the expected good results will convince the Indian authorities that DRM is the right standard to upgrade All India Radio's already established country-wide DRM services in the AM bands to the FM band. This will allow private broadcasters to finally benefit from the innovative services and revenue potential of DRM digital radio, while establishing a simple upgrade path for the automotive industry, with technology designed and made in India."

More AIR External services broadcasts back on air

More All India radio External Service broadcasts expected to be back on air by 7th Feb'21, actual monitoring needed.

UTC        IST      LANGUAGE SERVICE FREQ       TXER SITE

-------------------------------------------------------------

2345-0115 0515-0645 CHINESE   WS I  13695  BENGALURU

0300-0400 0830-0930 BALUCHI   NS I  9950   KINGSWAY,DELHI

0245-0345 0815-0915 BURMESE   NS II 15030  KINGSWAY,DELHI

0500-0600 1030-1130 ARABIC(1) WS I  15030  BENGALURU

1045-1200 1615-1730 TIBETAN   WS I  11560  KINGSWAY,DELHI

1215-1315 1745-1845 SWAHILI   WS I  15030  BENGALURU

1930-2030 0100-0200 FRENCH    WS II 9620   BENGALURU (DRM)

All India Radio's Vividh Bharati service on shortwave 9380 kHz off air

Vividh Bharati transmission of All India Radio on shortwave 9380 kHz via Aligarh 250 kW transmitter has been taken off air from Friday 4 Sept 2020. The entertainment channel Vividh Bharati (translated roughly as Indian variety) is still available on many AIR stations on FM & MW and also on Live Streaming, DTH, DRM etc. 

It seems it is for the very first time that the Vividh Bharati is not on SW after it began in 1957 to meet the competition offered by Radio Ceylon (Now SLBC). For some time AIR stations in Chennai, Guwahati, Mumbai and New Delhi even transmitted on a single SW channel (10330 kHz) with Vividh Bharti Service. From New Delhi also on SW 6100 kHz there used to be Vividh Bharati Service in AM/DRM a few years back. In 2003, the service was transferred to a single 500 kW-transmitter at Bengaluru.

Live Stream: http://prasarbharati.gov.in/playersource.php?channel=1 

On Alexa : https://www.amazon.in/All-India-Radio-Vividh-Bharati/dp/B07CGQYGY2

Website : https://www.vividhbharti.org/

(Via Jose Jacob, VU2JOS)

Special broadcasts by AIR for Independence Day (15 Aug 2020)

India is celebrating its 74th Independence Day on 15 August 2020.

Details of special programs by All India Radio for the occasion is as follows:

14th August 2020 (Friday)  1330 UTC (7.00 pm IST) onwards "Address to the Nation" on the eve of Independence Day in Hindi and English by  Shri.Ram Nath Kovind, Honble President of India.

All stations of All India Radio will relay this on MW, SW & FM.

Look out on the following Home Service SW frequencies :

kHz     kW       Station

4760    7          Leh              

4800    50        Hyderabad              

4810    50        Bhopal        

4835    10        Gangtok                  

4910    50        Jaipur

4920    50        Chennai        

4950    30        Srinagar        

5010    50        Thiruvananthapuram            

5040    50        Jeypore                    

5050    10        Aizawl ?

6030    250      Delhi            

9380    250      Aligarh

9865    500      Bengaluru ?

MW Frequencies : http://www.qsl.net/vu2jos/mw/freq.htm

FM Frequencies : http://www.qsl.net/vu2jos/fm/airfreq.htm

Also on DTH Channels/ airlivenews 24x7

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

15th August 2020 (Saturday) 0135-0240 UTC (0705-0810 hrs IST)

All India Radio will live broadcast the running commentary in English and Hindi on the Flag Hoisting and Prime Minister's address to the nation to be held at Red Fort, New Delhi between 0135-0240 UTC (0705-0810 hrs IST) on 15th August, 2020 on the following SW frequencies.

English:

15030 Bengaluru 500 kW

Hindi:

9380  Aligarh 250 kW

9950  New Delhi 250 kW

11620 Bengaluru 500 kW

The following External Services stands cancelled for that day:

11560: Pushtu 0215-0300, Dari  0300-0345

The Regional SW Stations will start using their day time frequencies about 1 hour or more earlier than usual on 15th August as follows to relay the Commentary. This may provide enhanced reception of stations than on normal days.

The sign on schedule for that day is as follows with normal sign on timings in brackets.

1. Bhopal - 0130 UTC (Ex 0225) 7430

2. Chennai  - 0130 UTC (Ex 0300) 7380

3. Hyderabad - 0130 UTC (Ex 0225) 7420

5. Srinagar  -0130 UTC (ex 0225) 6110

6. Thiruvanathapuram - 0130 UTC (Ex 0230) 7290

Other frequencies operating as usual at that time but carrying the commentary is as follows                     

     

kHz     kW       Station

4760    7          Leh              

4800    50        Hyderabad              

4810    50        Bhopal        

4835    10        Gangtok                  

4910    50        Jaipur

4920    50        Chennai        

4950    30        Srinagar        

5010    50        Thiruvananthapuram            

5040    50        Jeypore                    

5050    10        Aizawl ?

6030    250      Delhi       

7270    50       Chennai      

9380    250      Aligarh

9865    500      Bengaluru ? 

All stations of AIR will relay the running commentary.

Live streaming of the above programs is available in:

http://allindiaradio.gov.in/ 

https://mib.gov.in/media/all-india-radio  

Reception Reports to :

Please send your reception reports on line at: http://pbinfo.air.org.in/feedback/

or by email to: spectrum-manager@air.org.in or spectrum-manager@prasarbharati.gov.in

or 

Director ( Spectrum Management & Synergy)

All India Radio,

Room No. 204, Akashvani Bhawan,

Parliament Street

New Delhi110001, India

Watch the events live on Doordarshan TV  on all their channels .Try the following links:

DD National:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h3RhpgO2ItQ

DD News: http://webcast.gov.in/

(Jose Jacob & Alokesh Gupta)

Photo courtesy @AkashvaniAIR on Twitter

AIR resumes External Services broadcasts

All India Radio resumed its external services broadcasts to neighboring countries on 8th May;2020, few more will resume today as per below :

0100-0200 UTC Sindhi 7380 kHz (B)

0700-0800 UTC Nepali 9950 kHz (Ki) 11620 kHz (Ki)

0830-1130 UTC Urdu 9950 kHz (Ki)

1145-1315 UTC Chinese 17510 kHz (B)

1215-1330 UTC Tibetan 9575 kHz (B)

1315-1415 UTC Dari 11560 KHz (B)

1415-1530 UTC Pushtu 11560 kHz (B)

1500-1600 UTC Baluchi 9620 kHz (D)

Tamil & Bangla Services had resumed a few days back.

Reception Reports appreciated to    

spectrum-manager@prasarbharati.gov.in

Please see the current full schedule in

Time wise : https://qsl.net/vu2jos/es/time.htm

Language wise: https://qsl.net/vu2jos/es/Language.htm

(Jose Jacob, VU2JOS, National Institute of Amateur Radio)

AIR Special broadcasts for Ramadan

Like every year, the special transmissions for Ramadan has started from AIR stations in Jammu and Kashmir as follows:

Timings (variable) : 2145/2205 to 2305 UTC (0335-0435 IST)

Frequencies :

1116 kHz 300 kW  Srinagar

1350 kHz 20 kW Kupwara

4950 kHz 50 kW Srinagar

103.5 MHz 10 kW Srinagar

This  transmission is for about 1 hour and sign on and sign off timings vary.   These special programs will continue for a month, till Ramzan day ie around 23 May 2020. The 1 hour program consists of prayers, songs and advertisments. In the previous years sign on timings varied as the days went on.

(Via Jose Jacob, NIAR, Hyderabad)