The declaration of the prestigious Akashavani Annual Awards 2016 brought lot of cheers to the All India Radio Thiruvananthapuram Station. This year, three Malayalam programmes from Thiruvananthapuram got selected for the prestigious award. The Award for Best Public Service Announcement was won by “Manassundengil Margavumundu” (Where there is a will, there is a way), produced by Smt. Leelamma Mathew, Assistant Director (Programme), AIR Thiruvananthapuram. This programme is a public service broadcast on the need and importance of Rainwater harvesting. Smt. Leelamma Mathew is also a top graded Light Music artist of AIR and a recipient of several Akashavani Annual Awards in previous years as well. In 2008, 2010 and 2012, she had won prizes in Akashavani Annual Awards under Family Welfare category. In 2012, she was a finalist in Short Drama category at the 12th International Radio Festival at Iran. In 2010 and 2013, she had won Merit Certificates in Public Service Broadcasting and Children’s Programme respectively. The First Prize in the Musical Production category of 2016 was won by the programme – “Sangeethathile Daasa Parampara” , a musical feature produced by Smt. A L Manjula Rajesh, Staff Artist with AIR Thiruvananthapuram. “Sangeethathile Daasa Parampara” (Daasa Tradition in Music) is a musical production which narrates about the “Daasa” tradition and its contributions to Carnatic Music. This tradition includes the Haridaasas who made their contributions in Kannada language to the Carnatic Music, including the “Guru-Shishya parampara” of Purandara Daasar, also known as the “Sangeetha Pitamaha”. Smt. A L Manjula Rajesh is also a Top Graded Violin artist of All India Radio, working in AIR for the past 21 years. She had given performances in AIR including National programmes and Akashvani Sangeet Sammelan. She had also given performances at many prestigious venues and music festivals.
The Radio Documentary, ‘Ente Bhoomi’ (My Earth) won the second prize in Radio Documentary category. This was written and produced by Shri. Biju Mathew, Programme Executive with CBS, Thiruvananthapuram. Environmental awareness proves important for several reasons; it fosters a sense of connection to the natural world, promotes sustainable development and encourages conservation of irreplaceable natural resources and vulnerable plant and animal species. “Ente Bhoomi” gives stress to this valid point. Shri. Biju Mathew had won several International and national radio awards for All India Radio. International honours include the ABU Prize 2015, ABU Prize 2011, Reinhard Kuene International Radio Prize 2013, Iran International Radio Prize 2012, ABU Programme Award 2010, ABU Programme Award 2008, European Union India Media Prize for the Best Journalist reporting HIV/AIDS 2006 and Thomson Foundation UK Bursary 2005. He was a member in the ABU Prize International Jury in 2012 and in 2013. He was the inaugural speaker at the third International Radio Forum organised by ABU and IRIB held at Iran. He also won Akashvani Annual awards several times. He is one of the founding members of JATB (Journalists Against TB) an International nonprofit journalists’ organization empowering journalists around the world to join the fight against TB.
Contributed By: Sandeep Suresh,Transmission Executive,All India Radio - Thiruvananthapuram,air.sandeep@hotmail.com