[cr-india] I&B minister of state wants poetry on all radio stations

[sajan venniyoor]

Dear community broadcasters,

Brace yourselves. The I&B minister of state wants poetry to be read "on all
radio stations across the country", and he will issue orders to make sure
you organize kavi sammelans at your station.

In an earlier effort to improve the tastes of the Indian public, the I&B
ministry had banned the broadcast of film music on AIR. (This was in the
1950s, and if nothing else, it improved the prospects of Radio Ceylon
considerably). During the Emergency years, the ministry decided that every
song request sent to AIR should be accompanied by a sterilization
certificate (as in birth control). It is not on record just how many Indians
sacrificed their reproductive capacity in order to listen to
'Barbaad-e-mohabbat ki dua saath liye jaa...'

At least, we can no longer say that the decisions of the ministry are beyond
rhyme or reason. Beyond reason, maybe.

Sajan


Minister to order poetry reading sessions in all radio stations
The Hindu, 10 Feb 2010
http://beta.thehindu.com/news/cities/Chennai/article103931.ece

Union Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting S. Jagathratchagan
on Wednesday said he would issue orders for organising poetry reading
sessions in all the radio stations across the country.

Participating in a poetry reading session in all the 14 official Indian
languages (Panmozhi Desiya Kaviarangam) organised by Indian Broadcasters
Forum (IBF) in Chennai, the minister said poetry was the only literary form
that would link all the languages.

Recalling his association with the All India Radio and the days when the
(AIR) served as a window to the world, the Minister said it continued to
remain a source of education. Former Minister R.M. Veerappan said that when
people’s memory failed them, the AIR was reminding them of great
personalities in all the walks of life.

The poetry reading session was presided over by poet and lyricist
Vairamuthu. Fourteen poets participated and their poems were translated by
14 translators.
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