Famous poet Rabindranath Tagore named All India Radio 'Akashvani' in a Poem

NEW-DELHI: Public broadcaster Prasar Bharti has decided to change the name of its radio service 'All India Radio' to 'Akashvani'. In an internal order issued by All India Radio Director General Vasudha Gupta on Wednesday, it has been asked to comply with the legal order with immediate effect, according to which All India Radio was renamed as All India Radio. 

CEO of Prasar Bharti Gaurav Dwivedi said, "This is a very old decision of the government which was not implemented earlier. We are implementing it now."

The Prasar Bharati (Broadcasting Corporation of India, BCI) Act, 1990 mentions that 'All India Radio' means the offices, stations and other establishments which on the day of its commencement are Central Information and Broadcasting. The ministry was part of or under the Directorate General of All India Radio. The Prasar Bharati Act came into force on 15 November 1990. The internal order said, "The above constitutional provision, under which the name of All India Radio was changed to 'Aakashvani', may be brought to the notice of all so that the name and title conform to the provisions of the Broadcasting of India Act, 1997." 

Famous poet Rabindranath Tagore named All India Radio 'Akashvani' in a poem he wrote for the inauguration of the Calcutta Shortwave Service in 1939. According to the Prasar Bharati website, a private radio station named Akashvani Mysore was established on September 10, 1939. All India Radio Home Service includes 470 broadcasting stations located across the country from where it broadcasts in 23 languages and 179 dialects. It covers 92 percent of the country's total area and 99.19 percent of the population.