AIR, Sambalpur bagged two second prizes in the Akashvani Annual Awards-2016 for its entries 'Rambair Katha' under Womens Programme category and 'Nua Sakhal' under Farm & Home category. The programmes were authored by Shri Ratan Kumar Pujari and Shri Ganesh Ram Seth respectively. Both the programmes were produced by Shri Randeep Kumar Pradhan, Programme Executive assisted by Laxman Kumar Panda, Santosh Ping, Programmes Executives and Shri Satyaranjan Panda, Technician whereas music was scored by Shri Bijay Kumar Behera and Shri Prafulla Kumar Mitra respectively.
Gist of the programme 'Ram Bair Katha': For a change, this is the true story of the indomitable spirit and fighting quality seen in a woman to whom everybody should doff his or her hat and applaud. Even the Hon’ble Prime Minister of India felicitated her and mentioned about her in his “Mann Ki Baat”. Born in a typical village with all the associated bottlenecks and obsolete customs and mindset, she had a normal childhood, except that though her friends were reading in the village school, she was deprived of that as her father could not afford it. On attaining puberty she was married off. But the fact that she gave birth to a daughter was not acceptable to her family and she was sent to her parental home. Though later she was brought back, after the birth of her second daughter the old story repeated with much hostility and she was kind of driven away. After few months she got the news of her husband’s death. Any lesser mortal would have given up but she was made of sterner stuff. It is not easy for a young widow to rear two growing girls. Then she decided to take up cultivation in a big way and her mother stood by her as a pillar of rock. She used to sell vegetables herself in a bicycle in the local markets. Gradually, she ploughed the profits earned into acquiring more land and appointed more hands in her endeavour. In course of time she acquired a cult status and the male dominated society grudgingly admired the guts and gumption and steely will shown by Rambai.She proved that women are not weak but are made of sterner stuff. She would not suffer injustice blindly or take it lying down. She possesses the capability to change the society. She should only be given a scope for her innate strength to blossom through education.
Gist of the programme 'Nua Sakhal':The programme “Nuan Sakhal” is about a typical village of western Odisha. Here, agriculture is totally dependent on a good monsoon. If by chance, rainfall is inadequate, the sufferings of small and marginal farmers multiplies manifold. Not only the people suffer, so also the domestic animals as fodder is hard to come by. Highly erratic rainfall due to environmental degradation causes untold hardship. To compound matters, middle-men, employed by rich businessmen of neighbouring state lure unsuspecting poor farmers into a debt trap. They advance large sums of money to them by getting a bond signed which stipulates that they will repay the debt by working as bonded labourers in the brick kilns or in other hazardous activities. They are forced to migrate to the neighbouring states by the middle-men and their henchmen. They and their family members are exploited. When Saibani and Gulthu are at their wits end thinking how to cope with the impending disaster, they are shown the way by the official from agricultural department. He counselled them about soil testing, organic farming and use of vermi-compost. They were also briefed about the easy and simplified norms of agricultural credit at door step to Jan-Dhan account holders by the B.C.Agent (Business Correspondent Agent). Also they are told that henceforth the wages of MGNREGA work will be directly credited to their Jan-Dhan accounts and will not be pilfered by the contractors. Since at least one hundred days’ employment is guaranteed, they need not migrate as bonded labourers. This has put a new lease of life into them and kindled new hope.
Gist of the programme 'Ram Bair Katha': For a change, this is the true story of the indomitable spirit and fighting quality seen in a woman to whom everybody should doff his or her hat and applaud. Even the Hon’ble Prime Minister of India felicitated her and mentioned about her in his “Mann Ki Baat”. Born in a typical village with all the associated bottlenecks and obsolete customs and mindset, she had a normal childhood, except that though her friends were reading in the village school, she was deprived of that as her father could not afford it. On attaining puberty she was married off. But the fact that she gave birth to a daughter was not acceptable to her family and she was sent to her parental home. Though later she was brought back, after the birth of her second daughter the old story repeated with much hostility and she was kind of driven away. After few months she got the news of her husband’s death. Any lesser mortal would have given up but she was made of sterner stuff. It is not easy for a young widow to rear two growing girls. Then she decided to take up cultivation in a big way and her mother stood by her as a pillar of rock. She used to sell vegetables herself in a bicycle in the local markets. Gradually, she ploughed the profits earned into acquiring more land and appointed more hands in her endeavour. In course of time she acquired a cult status and the male dominated society grudgingly admired the guts and gumption and steely will shown by Rambai.She proved that women are not weak but are made of sterner stuff. She would not suffer injustice blindly or take it lying down. She possesses the capability to change the society. She should only be given a scope for her innate strength to blossom through education.
Gist of the programme 'Nua Sakhal':The programme “Nuan Sakhal” is about a typical village of western Odisha. Here, agriculture is totally dependent on a good monsoon. If by chance, rainfall is inadequate, the sufferings of small and marginal farmers multiplies manifold. Not only the people suffer, so also the domestic animals as fodder is hard to come by. Highly erratic rainfall due to environmental degradation causes untold hardship. To compound matters, middle-men, employed by rich businessmen of neighbouring state lure unsuspecting poor farmers into a debt trap. They advance large sums of money to them by getting a bond signed which stipulates that they will repay the debt by working as bonded labourers in the brick kilns or in other hazardous activities. They are forced to migrate to the neighbouring states by the middle-men and their henchmen. They and their family members are exploited. When Saibani and Gulthu are at their wits end thinking how to cope with the impending disaster, they are shown the way by the official from agricultural department. He counselled them about soil testing, organic farming and use of vermi-compost. They were also briefed about the easy and simplified norms of agricultural credit at door step to Jan-Dhan account holders by the B.C.Agent (Business Correspondent Agent). Also they are told that henceforth the wages of MGNREGA work will be directly credited to their Jan-Dhan accounts and will not be pilfered by the contractors. Since at least one hundred days’ employment is guaranteed, they need not migrate as bonded labourers. This has put a new lease of life into them and kindled new hope.