All India Radio, or Akashvani, isn’t just a station. It is the backbone of India’s public radio. As one half of Prasar Bharati, the nation’s public service broadcasting corporation, it shares the stage with Doordarshan, the TV wing. The other half? Television. This dual structure defines how India consumes audio and visual media on a national level.
The story starts long before the modern era. The service began as the Indian State Broadcasting Service (ISBS) in 1930. It was colonial infrastructure, evolving from earlier experiments in wireless transmission. Then came a major shift. In 1935, Lionel Fielden arrived. A senior producer from the BBC, he didn’t just watch. He took control. Appointed as the controller of broadcasting at ISBS, Fielden brought British expertise to Indian soil. He reshaped the output. He professionalized the approach.
One year later, the name changed. ISBS became All India Radio. The rebranding signaled a new era. On January 19, 1936, the network aired its first official broadcast. That date marks the true birth of the service as we recognize it today. It wasn’t just a rename. It was a transformation.
Why does this matter now? Akashvani remains a key player. It reaches rural areas. It broadcasts in dozens of languages. It serves as a public service, not just a commercial entity. Understanding its origins helps explain its current role. The shift from ISBS to AIR was strategic. It was about identity. It was about scale. Fielden’s influence lingered. His standards persisted. The January 1936 broadcast was just the start. The network grew from there. It adapted. It survived political changes. It stayed on air.
