Wishing you all on World Radio Day

 Wishing you all a very happy World Radio Day

Every year on February 13 World Radio Day is celebrated. This year is the 10th anniversary of World Radio Day

 Radio has remained the most resilient and far-reaching medium of communication even in the time of innumerable online platforms and WhatsApp. 

The history of radio goes back over 110 years. World Radio Day celebrates radio as "part of humanity's history" according to the United Nations. Radio has adapted itself over the decades and played a key role in disseminating information to people in remote corners of the world in times of crisis including the ongoing Covid pandemic. The popularity of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's  'Mann Ki Baat' proves the importance of radio as a medium of communication.

The UNESCO has called on radio stations to celebrate the 10th anniversary of World Radio Day through three sub-themes: evolition, innovation and connection.

The world changes, radio adapts and innovates- radio adapts to new technologies and remains the go-to medium of mobility, accessible everywhere and to everyone.

"New World, New Radio" is an "ode to the resilience of radio", says the UN. World Radio Day was started in 2011 by the Member States of UNESCO and in 2012, the United Nations General Assembly adopted it as an International Day.

Five reasons why the radio is unique:

Radio is a low-cost medium.

Radio remains the most widely consumed medium.

Radio can reach out to the widest audience.

Radio stations offers a wide range programmes, which are suitable for local communities globally.

Radio plays a key role in emergency communication when natural disasters strike.

Apart from  commercial Radio services there is another service which is called Amateur Radio service nicknamed as HAM RADIO.

Amateur radio or ham radio is practised by more than 42,000 licensed users in India.

The first amateur radio operator was licensed in 1921, and by the mid-1930s, there were around 20 amateur radio operators in India. Amateur radio operators played an important part in the Indian independence movement with the establishment of illegal pro-independence radio stations in the 1940s.

The first amateur radio operator in India was Amarendra Chandra Gooptu (callsign 2JK), licensed in 1921. Later that year, Mukul Bose (callsign 2HQ) became the second ham operator, thereby introducing the first two-way ham radio communication in the country. 

These two gentlemen are Bengalis who are the pioneers in their fields. I am requesting the honourable members of the group, to share, if they know something about these two gentlemen. 

Last but not the least, though the credit of inventing Radio goes to Guglielmo Giovanni Maria Marconi (25 April 1874 – 20 July 1937) yet now the world admits that basic work of Radio Engineering was done by our very own Sir Jagadish Chandra Bose. 

Photos: 1. First Radio station in USA

               2. Guglielmo Marconi.

               3. Sir Jagadish Chandra Bose

Source: Photos taken from Net.  Informations are based on Personal Reading and Net sources.