By Tirthankar Mitra
One of world’s oldest broadcasters, Radio Ceylon, has turned 100. It arrived decades before television when radio was a novelty and Radio Ceylon started officially broadcasting from December 16, 1925.
Radio Ceylon may seem an aberration today; after all, Ceylon is Sri Lanka. But the British-era institution became, a household name when a Congress government headed by Jawaharlal Nehru stopped All India Radio from playing Hindi film songs insisting instead on promoting classical music.
The decision by the Indian government was seen as an opportunity by Radio Ceylon. it started a dedicated Hindi service soon after
One of the most popular shows on Radio Ceylon then was ” Hit Parade’ a Western pop countdown show hosted initially by Greg Roskowoski, one of the most popular announcers on the air waves then. Letters from fans requesting similar show in Hindi music made Radio Ceylon management reach out to Ameen Sayani.
It led to what would later become Binaca Geetmala. Sayani spoke in Hindi as he took his audience on a journey through film music. Jokes, trivia and even interviews were thrown in by Sayani. Every Wednesday, a nation would wait patiently for his familiar, friendly voice. This day in the week was incomplete sans his words *Namaskar, behnon aur bhaion, main aapko dost Ameen Sayani bol raha hoon* (Hello, sisters and brothers, this is your friend Ameen Sayani speaking)
Only after leaving India, the country’s most popular music reached the country listeners. Sayani would record his shows in Mumbai and magnetic tapes would reach the studio of Radio Ceylon in Colombo.
This was the fallout of the then Information and Broadcasting .minister, BV Keskar’s decision to ban film music on All India Radio. He called film music “vulgar, erotic and Westernised” and only allowed classical and folk music to be played.
Years later noted political activist Aruna Asaf Ali told Sayani that he needed to do this show on AIR. She spoke to Jawahar Lal Nehru and Hindi film music got back to AIR. Karachi to Karnataka is a region fractured by politics, borders and language. Yet people tuned on Radio Ceylon which became a common ground for them.
In its 100th year, Radio Ceylon offers a lesson on people and soft power. Radio and television have given way to internet now. Social media platform now rules the world of communication. At the same time it is more difficult how to track algorithms are manipulations to silence some voices and amplify others. It is at this point where Radio Ceylon retains its relevance. It has shown how censorship can be defeated; all that is needed are songs. (IPA Service)
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