Radio is no longer an antique piece. It was on the brink of becoming one almost a few decades ago when people across India were recklessly pursuing new sources of instant gratification through screens. However, things changed dramatically when Narendra Modi assumed the high office. For his monthly broadcast, Mann Ki Baat, he chose radio—perhaps as a mission to restore its status as a powerful communication medium. From being relegated to an antique on shelves to being revitalized as a tool for spreading awareness, Modi played a pivotal role in radio’s resurgence. His revival of the medium sounded strange, at least to his opponents, but the people of India embraced this version of communication. Modi had always been connected to the basics. As a politician, he remained closely tied to the common people of the country, understanding how simple and innovative his strategy was in emotionally and intellectually engaging with the vast majority, especially the economically marginalized. His approach worked. Hundreds gathered around radios on the day of his monthly broadcast. He spoke about the achievements and innovations of ordinary people, highlighting their unique survival strategies. With great attention, he pronounced their successes and shared messages he believed needed to reach his people, regardless of the challenging terrains they inhabited. For Modi, radio represented simplicity while connecting both the rich and the poor alike. Remarkably, the Prime Minister’s decade-long connection with the people through radio remains a record-breaking initiative; making his monthly broadcasts one of the largest such experiments in the world.
Radio had an undeniable impact on people’s lives. After centuries of suppression by the British, when India rose to freedom, its first Prime Minister addressed the nation through All India Radio. His “Tryst with Destiny” speech marked a turning point, underscoring a historic moment. Many significant events of historic importance were brought to the public through radio broadcasts. However, as the world evolved with better communication technologies, radio communication began to fade into the background, primarily due to the dominance of visual media. Despite this, radio retained a special place in people’s hearts for significant reasons. The deep, resonant voice of the speaker and the direct transmission of information left an indelible impression, reverberating in our memories for years. For those born between 1970 and 1990, radio was an integral part of their lives. Personally, my memories of the radio remain vivid and melancholic as I reflect on the past. One such spine-chilling moment was when my home radio informed me of Indira Gandhi’s assassination. As a child, I was horrified, and the nightmarish narration of the incident still lingers in my mind with its powerful, picturesque vocabulary. A similar experience occurred when Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated by an anonymous killer in the crowd in Tamil Nadu’s Sriperumbudur on 21 May 1991.
Much has changed since the days when radio dominated communication. As global communities now gather to discuss action plans for addressing the implications of Artificial Intelligence (AI), with its high sophistication and accuracy deeply penetrating our lives, those who have witnessed and lived through the generational shifts of the past few decades will always retain a nostalgic connection to radio. Radios once brought, and even today bring, the bright melodies of Mohammad Rafi, Kishore Kumar, and Yesudas directly into people's drawing rooms and workplaces. Many of the iconic songs sung by these legends continue to resonate through the verbal memory of generations. Radio broadcasts also heightened the excitement surrounding election results. Nearly half a century ago, a single radio in a village was enough to draw people under the shade of a tree or in a temple courtyard, anxiously waiting for the results to be announced. Sometimes, the festive atmosphere surrounding elections would amplify their interest in listening, while the critical updates added to the charged, prediction-packed atmosphere. These moments brought both joy and distress. Gatherings under the tree sparked instantaneous discussions of electoral outcomes, and their democratic analyses enhanced communication within the community. Such social interactions may have helped people tackle important issues beyond their usual reach and understanding. Children had countless opportunities for storytelling, and drama festivals in the AIR created some of the most memorable moments of humor and sharpened their cognition. Even soldiers, stationed under heaps of snow at the borders, cherished their radio time, which connected them emotionally with the rest of the country.
Anne Frank, in her famous diary, writes, “Our blessed radio, it gives us eyes and ears into the world. We listen to the German station only for music, and we listen to the BBC for hope.” This statement holds immense significance. Especially in war-torn areas, where intense enmity destroys everything people can hold onto, radio undeniably brings both hope and anxiety. Anne’s life in the hideouts from the Nazi brutality, where a radio, she says, held her close to the world and its new developments. Amidst the devastation of wars, radio remains the only device capable of delivering crucial information about escalating tensions or an impending settlement. Humorously, American poet Richard Armour takes its significance even further, stating, “The great improvement of the radio over the telephone is that it may be turned off without offending the speaker.” In fact, during the partition of India and the events that unfolded in the wake of the tumultuous division, Mahatma Gandhi attempted to address over two lakh refugees from Pakistan, urging them to maintain fortitude and patience. This occurred on November 12, 1947, during Gandhi’s first appearance on All India Radio. For this special broadcast, a prayer meeting atmosphere was created at AIR studios, and Gandhi is said to have described the radio as a wondrous device, seeing in it the miraculous power of God. Interestingly, that was the Mahatma’s first and last visit to a broadcasting house.
This understanding of Gandhi likely inspired Narendra Modi to adopt this unprecedented mode of communication, recognizing its potential to convey his messages to the most remote areas, even in the most challenging terrains. While it may seem complex to his critics, its accessibility and widespread reach as a tool for the common man allowed Modi to take his Mann Ki Baat beyond boundaries, which was a key factor in elevating him to a position of prominence and recognition. Modi was indeed finding solutions to unify a country known for its diversity, while his medium of communication was designed to ignite a sense of togetherness among people from different backgrounds. A decade later, radio's revitalized presence continues to enrich our imaginations with the power of voice and the magic of words, proving that radio is no longer an antique relic.