No more All India Radio, only Akashvani henceforth

On Wednesday the journey of India's most heard radio station, All India Radio ended. The government has ordered that the public broadcaster be exclusively referred to as Akashvani in all broadcasts.

"This was long pending and in line with the law which came into being in 1997. Our listeners have more of a connect with Akashvani and so we are ridding ourselves of colonial baggage that may have persisted," Gaurav Dwivedi the chief executive office of Prasar Bharati, which is the parent organisation of Akashvani said.

According to a Hindustan Times report, the order was issued on May 3. According to the order all satellite messages will now be issued in compliance with the Prasar Bharti Act, 1990, which defined Akashvani as the offices, stations and other establishments that were part of or under All India Radio.

"The aforesaid statutory provision, which has replaced the name of AIR with Akashvani, may be brought to the attention of all so that names and titles get in tune with the provisions of the Prasar Bharati Act, 1990, passed by Parliament," said the order.

The official name of the All India Radio has always been Akashvani, a name proposed by Rabindranath Tagore, which means 'voice from the sky.' However since 1956 both names have been used in the broadcasts.

On Wednesday, the English morning news bulletin broadcast at 8.15 am-carried the All India Radio name in its introduction. However by the afternoon news bulletin, broadcast at 4.05 pm, the announcer had switched to Akashvani.

AIR began its journey on June 8 1936, when the British government renamed the Indian Broadcasting Company. The Akashvani name was added in 1956. Following this the Vividh Bharti Service was launched in 1957 with popular film music as its main component.