All India Radio Jammu - Serving listeners since 1947"
The first ever broadcasting centre of of Jammu and Kashmir came into existence on 1st December 1947 thus heralding the beginning of broadcasting in earstwhile state - now the Union territory Jammu and Kashmir. The station came up in the back drop of the country's partition, mass scale migration of the people from India and Pakistan and the intrusion of Pakistani raiders in various parts of the then state. The ever increasing number of refugees was also bringing with itself different kinds of rumours which needed to be effectively countered and illiterate masses properly educated to prevent further damage.
Initially the station was setup in the three class rooms of the Government Ranbir high school in Jammu city with one kilowatt medium wave transmitter. Inaugurated by Maharaja Hari Singh and working under the Information Broadcasting Ministry of J&K with Mr. J. N. Zutshi as its secretary, the first announcement of the station came on the air at 6.30 pm on that historic day. The station shifted to location "Begum Ki Haveli" in the year 1952.
As stated earlier, since the immediate concern of the Government at that time was to counter the false & malicious propaganda tirade launched by Pakistan the complexion of the programmes at that time also remained in conformity with that objective. News bulletins in languages understood bu the people and counter propaganda programmes were introduced, which not only became very popular but also effectively served the purpose for which they were started. Eminent persons like Sh. Rajinder Singh Bedi, Mr. V. S. N. Camphor were associated with the then Radio Kashmir Jammu at that time as Officers on Special Duty. Sh. B. P. Sharma , an eminent journalist of the then state was also later associated with the station which was later taken over by the Government of India in the year 1954 when Mr. N. Iqbal Singh, an Assistant Station Director was declared its head. The station was later upgraded and Sh. B. P. Sharma became its first ever Station Director in the year 1966. Gradually alongwith propaganda programmes the station also started growing in other desciplines. Programmes for women, children, rural listeners were introduced. Plays & Music also became integral part of radio broadcast.
From a humble beginning in 1947 the station today has increased manifold and continuously serving its listeners and became the sole source of Education, Information and Entertainment.
Contributed by :- Shri.Sanjeev Sharma , programme Executive, AIR Jammu.