'To harness the ether for those who dwell upon the earth is one of the loveliest services that the modern age can render to humanity-Upward Radio!'

-Sarojini Naidu's note in the AIR visitors' book

'Neelesh Kulkarni and Vikrant Pande have written an immensely readable tribute to this venerable institution.'

-Padma Bhushan Vishwa Mohan Bhatt, musician, inventor and an acclaimed player of the Mohan Veena

'In this age of social media, the internet and television, if Neelesh Kulkarni and Vikrant Pande have penned a book on the influence and contribution of radio, I would rate it a brave effort. Somebody had to do it-and Neelesh and Vikrant have done it with rare authenticity.'

-Padma Shri Sushil Doshi, journalist, author and sports commentator

'This is an important book and a fascinating read. Kudos to Vikrant Pande and Neelesh Kulkarni for factually and meticulously chronicling the story of India's most-loved radio service-from the Mahatma speaking into the microphone to an AIR app today for the young.'

-Vasanthi Hariprakash, award-winning radio show host, journalist and entrepreneur


For decades, All India Radio or Akashvani, India's national broadcaster, has been 'the sound of India'. Be it Jawaharlal Nehru's iconic 'Tryst with Destiny' speech, shows such as Binaca Geetmala, cricket matches, movies or, more recently, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Mann ki Baat, AIR has been and continues to be the primary source for programmes on news, entertainment and knowledge for many Indians. But there are innumerable fascinating stories associated with the radio channel itself.

For instance, did you know that Rabindranath Tagore dedicated a poem to AIR called 'Akashvani', which was adopted as the Hindi name? Or that an AIR producer was one of the first civilians to be let inside the Golden Temple after Operation Blue Star? Or that noted Pakistani ghazal singer Ghulam Ali used to make his disciples listen to AIR's Urdu service to understand correct Urdu pronunciation?

These and many other such tales make up Akashvani: All India Radio ki ek shatabdi ki kahaniyan. With anecdotes from producers, broadcasters, radio jockeys and listeners, this book is a must-read to understand AIR's pivotal role in the average Indian's life.