Gyan Vani FM goes on air after 3 years

Three years after all the 37 Gyan Vani radio stations went off the air, Indira Gandhi National Open University (Ignou) re-launched its own educational FM channel on Doordarshan Kendra Campus on Friday. The Nagpur station is the first in the state and fourth in the country to seek revival after Banaras, Hyderabad and Delhi. Clearing the air about non-payment of dues by Ignou which led to shutting down of all stations, Kapil Kumar, director, Electronic Media Production Centre (EMPC) at Ignou said that there was never a 'financial crunch' but misunderstandings and clashes between stakeholders resulted in withdrawal.

Transmitters and instruments which became faulty during the discontinuation period need technical fitting and repairs. With some foreign purchases involved, the expenditure might go up to Rs10 to 15 crore, said Kumar. "In the long run, we want to aggressively promote the channel in foreign countries where people of Indian origin are more in numbers. People abroad are keen to learn about the culture and heritage and this way we can bring back their contribution to the nation," said Kumar. He inaugurated the studio in the presence of Yashwant Chivande, director of Akashwani, P Sivaswaroop, regional director of Ignou and Noor-ul-Hasan, assistant regional director.

The move comes as a breath of fresh air for listeners who were dependant on the station for various local, educational and socio-cultural needs. "We have received a good response from non-Ignou students and these dedicated listeners come up with frequent queries. It is highly encouraging and gives hint about the popularity of Gyan Vani," said Sivaswaroop while speaking to TOI.