News Broadcasting
DD, AIR to commence fiction series depicting issues of rural India
NEW DELHI: Come Thursday and Doordarshan and All India Radio will air fiction shows which highlight the travails of the rural poor and how flagship programmes help them overcome their problems. While DD will showcase Poorva Suhani Aayi Re, the All India Radio will air Priya.
Poorva Suhani Aayi Re is a 52 episode soap directed by Sanjiv Kaul of Kyunki Saas bhi kabhi bahu thhi fame. Priya is a 12 episode show which will reach audiences pan-India through AIR’s various channels, in 22 languages. The protagonists of both programmes are women – Poorva being a married woman and Priya a poor uneducated girl.
While the soap on Doordarshan will be aired every Thursday at 10.00 pm, the AIR series will be broadcast on different channels at different times. Produced by AIR Delhi, it will be broadcast every Thursday with effect from 8 August at 6.15 to 6.30 pm from Vividh Bharati MW 219.3 mtr. i.e. 1368 KHz and every Friday from 9 August on FM (Gold) 106.4 MHz at 12.10 pm to 12.25 pm, on FM (Rainbow) 102.6 MHz at 2.45 pm and also on Indraprastha Channel MW 366.3 mtr. – 819 KHz at 12.45 pm to 1.00 pm in Women’s Programme Aadha Akash Hamara.
Poorva Suhani Aayi Re tells the story of the illiterate village girl Poorva, a highly motivated woman who through her courage and commitment gives a voice to her fellow villagers and makes them aware of the benefits of various welfare schemes and policies and helps them to improve their living standards.
The serial takes viewers on the journey of Poorva and how slowly she plays a pivotal role in shaping the future of the village/ panchayat, fight for the rights of people and empowering the voiceless. Poorva Suhani Aayi Re, will showcase real life success stories of people who have benefited from the government’s policies, in a fiction format.
Speaking at a press meet today, Kaul said that the series had been suitably dramatised to ensure viewer interest and aims at being a propagandistic programme. “We want to give the real picture of rural India. TV is not about stars but about the script. Certain actors become stars only because of good scripts.”
Doordarshan director general Tripurari Sharan said that the series is based on real-life stories of women in different parts of the country, who have come into the vortex of democracy. “Though an element of drama has been added to keep the viewer glued, the stories are based on real experiences,” he informed.
Denying any allegations on the series being a propaganda for the elections next year he said, “Even series like Hum and Jamuniya dealt with similar subjects.”
Among the others present in the press meet were deputy director general Ranjan Thakur and Raj Shekhar Vyas. Addressing the media Thakur said, “The role of the public service broadcaster has acquired a new meaning in the past two years.”
News Broadcasting
Kamlesh Singh receives Haldi Ghati Award from MMCF
India Today Group editor honoured for three decades of journalism at Udaipur ceremony.
MUMBAI- Kamlesh Singh just turned a lifetime of sharp words into a shiny shield because when journalism wakes up a society, even the Maharana of Mewar wants to pin a medal on it.
The Maharana of Mewar Charitable Foundation (MMCF) conferred its prestigious Haldi Ghati Award on Kamlesh Singh, a senior editor at the India Today Group, during a ceremony in Udaipur on 15 March 2026. The national award, instituted in 1981-82, recognises “work of permanent value that initiates an awakening in society through the medium of journalism.”
Singh, who leads several editorial initiatives including Aaj Tak Radio, the Teen Taal community and The Lallantop, was presented the honour by Lakshyaraj Singh Mewar, Managing Trustee of MMCF. The citation highlighted his three decades of contributions to Indian media, innovations in digital journalism, mentoring young reporters, and his popular podcast persona “Tau” on Teen Taal, which fosters thoughtful public discourse.
The Haldi Ghati Award, named after the historic Battle of Haldighati symbolising valour and resilience, is one of four national awards given annually by MMCF. Past recipients include Tavleen Singh, Piyush Pandey and Raj Chengappa.
Other honourees this year included Padma Vibhushan Pt Hari Prasad Chaurasia, Vedamurti Devvrat Rekhe, Treeman of India Marimuthu Yoganathan, Vir Chakra Capt Rizwan Malik, and US-based researcher Molly Emma Aitken, who received the Colonel James Tod Award for contributions to understanding Mewar’s spirit and values.
In an era where headlines often shout louder than substance, the MMCF quietly reminded everyone that real journalism isn’t about noise, it’s about the quiet, persistent work that stirs society awake, one thoughtful story at a time.
