What is the full form of AIR

AIR: All India Radio

AIR stands for All India Radio. It is officially known as Akashvani since 1956. It is the national public radio broadcaster of India and a division of Prasar Bharti. It is believed to be the largest radio network in the world in terms of the number of languages of broadcast and the range of cultural and socio-economic diversity it serves.

AIR is headquartered at the Akashvani Bhavan at New Delhi in India. Today, AIR is able to reach 99.18% of the population of India through its 262 broadcasting centres.

Brief History

Broadcasting in India began in 1923. The Radio Club of Bombay made the first broadcast in June 1923 in the country. Five months later, Calcutta Radio Club was set up. On July 23, 1927, Indian Broadcasting Company (IBC) was established but it faced liquidation in less than three years.

In April 1930, the Indian Broadcasting Service again began its operations on an experimental basis under the Department of Industries and Labour. In the next month, a private radio station named Akashvani Mysore was set up. And, on June 8, 1936, the Indian State Broadcasting Service became All India Radio. Since then it has been serving to inform, educate and entertain the masses and living up to its motto ? "Bahujan Hitaya : Bahujan Sukhaya.