Radio Gunjan From Odisha Bags First Prize For Promoting Local Culture

Bhubaneswar: Volunteer-run Radio Gunjan from Odisha has the won first prize in the Promoting Local Culture category of the 8th edition of the National Community Radio Awards announced by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting on Wednesday.

Radio Gunjan won the award for its programme Kakalichhanda. The community radio station, Radio Gunjan 90.4 FM, based in Bargarh, Odisha, has been promoting local culture through this innovative programme, a PIB press release said.

“Karma is a typical dance form performed by tribal and non-tribal groups of western Odisha. Music is the heart of Karma. This topic became very popular among the farmers’ community. Dance and music accompanying the programme are centred on some religious practices. It attracted a lot of local talents, who participates in this innovative programme,” the release said.

Radio Gunjan is the first community radio station in the region and it has been rolling since 2018. The station is run by community volunteers (70 community listeners group).

Radio SD, SD College of Pharmacy and Vocational Studies, Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh and Radio Salaam Namaste, Institute of Management Studies, Noida, Uttar Pradesh were awarded second and third prizes in this category for their programmes ‘Gur Mahotsav‘ and  ‘Art Manthan‘ respectively.

These awards are given to encourage innovation and healthy competition among community radio stations, the release added.

Besides Promoting Local Culture Award, winners were declared in Thematic, Most Innovative Community Engagement and Sustainability Model categories.

Thematic Category Awards

>> Radio Mattoli, Wayanad Social Service Society, Wayanad, Kerala, for its programme Rithubedham

>> Radio Vishwas, Vishwas Dhyan Prabodhini & Research Institute, Nashik, Maharashtra, for its programme Shikshan Sarvasathi

>> Kisan Radio, Kisan Seva Santhan, Basti, Uttar Pradesh for its programme ‘Super Brain of the Week’

Most Creative/Innovative Community Engagement Awards

>> Community Radio Station, Rimjhim Radio 90.4 FM, Ayodhya Lal Kalyan Niketan, Gopalganj, Bihar for its programme Jan Sunwayi

>> Radio Mann, Samgra Shikshan Evam Jan Kalyan Santhan, Vidisha, Madhya Pradesh for its programme ‘Genius of Vidisha’

>> Community Radio Station, Radio Dastak 90.4 FM, Shri Krishna Shikshan Lok Parmarth Samiti, Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh for its programme Dastak Kavya Goshthi

Sustainability Model Awards

>> Radio Vishwas, Vishwas Dhyan Prabodhini & Research Institute, Nashik, Maharashtra. The Radio has adopted an innovative model of sustainability for its functioning.

>> Alfaz-e-Mewat, S.M. Sehgal Foundation, Mewat, NUH, Haryaya

>> Kisan Radio, Kisan Seva Santhan, Basti, Uttar Pradesh