World Radio Day: Facts you need to know about it

New Delhi, Feb 13: World Radio Day is observed every year on the February 13 to celebrate radio as a forum for entertainment and information, as a bridge of communication for remote communities and its role in empowering people.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday extended his greetings to the nation on the occasion of World Radio Day and said "radio is a beautiful means of communication".

Here are the facts you need to know about the World Radio Day

• On 20 September 2010 Spain proposed to observe World Radio Day.

• UNESCO's General Conference, at its 36th session, proclaimed World Radio Day on 13 February.

• World Radio Day is observed to raise awareness about the importance of radio.

• This year, the UNESCO theme for World Radio Day is "Radio in Times of Emergency and Disaster".

Radio in India

• Radio broadcasting started in India in the early 1920's. The first programme was aired by the Radio club of Bombay in 1923.

• Two Broadcasting Services were set up in Mumbai (then Bombay) and Kolkata (then Calcutta).

• The radio operation started functioning under the name of Indian Broadcasting Service after government took over the transmitters in 1930.

• Later it was changed to All India Radio (AIR) in 1936 and renamed as Akashvani in 1957.