I&B Ministry
I&B names 9 social media contest winners to witness Republic Day Parade
NEW DELHI: Nine winners whose names were announced today by the Information and Broadcasting Ministry in contests organised on its social media platforms as a part of Republic Day celebrations, will get invitations to attend the Parade.
The contests were held on Ministry’s platforms of Facebook (facebook.com/inbministry), Twitter (@MIB_India) and specially designed webpage (http://www.graffiti.inbministry.in) where graffiti were invited from participants on various flagship programmes of the Government.
The competition was open for a fortnight from 1 to 14 January. The travel and accommodation arrangements of all these winners are being sponsored by Ministry.
For the graffiti wall, the themes were Start Up India, Stand Up India; Digital Empowerment; Entrepreneurs of Young India; Skilled India, Powerful India; Make In India; Financial Security to All and Housing For All.
The response on graffiti was over-whelming with 419 entries across all themes. The first prize in the graffiti contest was awarded to Narendra Kumar Singh for his work captioned Housing for All. “He has beautifully captured the idea of ‘Housing for All’ by using a metaphor of Weaver Birds’ nest. It shows independent and affordable housing for everybody across various income categories,” the jury said.
The second prize was awarded to Narendra Borlepwar’s artwork Skill India, which depicts “the fusion of Education and vocational training leading to recognisable improvement in the economic graph.”
The third prize was awarded to Vimal Kumar’s artwork Make In India showing “ladders, which visually double up as scaffolds on construction sites best captures the idea of ‘making.’”
For the Twitter contest, netizens’ responses were invited on Twitter on three hashtags; #VisionofTeamIndia, #MyIdeaofIndia and #RDayNotJustaHoliday. A total of 888 tweets were received by @MIB_India. The winners of the tweet contests across three theme segments taken collectively are as follows in order of first, second and third places:
Bhaiya ji Joshi @Igjganesh –“#MyIdeaofIndia For evry Mouth there is Meal for evry girl there is life For evry head there is roof For evry foot there is road (sic).”
The I&B Ministry said that the user has summed up in very simple terms that everybody in the India should have the basic needs satisfied.
N. Vinayak @vinumon2016 “#VisionofTeamIndia centre and states working together in the great act of nation building in spirit of ‘all for one and one for all.”
In this, the user has drawn our attention to cooperative federalism, said the ministry.
Neer Joy @neerjanni2000 – “#RDayNotJustaHoliday It is a moment2get inspiration 4rm freedom fighters & to taking up new initiatives4making India No1 country. (sic)”
Via this message, the user has invoked the sacrifices and sufferings of freedom fighters for whom India became independent and a constitution was framed, the ministry said.
Regarding the Poster making contest on Facebook, participants were invited to send posters on three themes; Give It Up – LPG Subsidy, Per Drop More Crop and Save the Girl Child. A total of 432 posters were received by the Ministry. The jury awarded first prize to A. Parag Chitnis for his artwork captioned “Save the Girl Child” where “the artist has highlighted a graphical representation of a female gene, which is led to the noose, whereas a male foetus seldom faces this ordeal.”
The second best poster was designed by Sudhir Komawar for his artwork captioned “Per Drop More Crop,” which “brilliantly captures super imposed image of the leaves of crops inside huge drop of water reminding that how a universe of microscopic can subsist in a drop of water.”
The third place was awarded to Anunay Arko for his painting captioned “INDIA where we worship goddess and a child is being killed, for being a GIRL.” It captures “a brilliant truism that women are the substratum of mankind.”
I&B Ministry
Akashvani opens airwaves to creative talents with fresh programme proposals
India’s public broadcaster invites creators to pitch new audio content for 2026
NEW DELHI: India’s iconic public service broadcaster, Akashvani, is tuning into a new frequency of creativity. In a move to spruce up its audio offerings, Prasar Bharati has officially invited independent producers, production houses, and content creators to pitch fresh programme proposals for the national network.
The Notice Inviting Programme Proposals (NIPP) aims to diversify the broadcaster’s “programme bouquet” by sourcing high-quality, innovative audio content from external experts. Whether you are a storyteller or a music maestro, the airwaves are officially open for business.
Akashvani is looking for a variety of audio flavours to keep listeners hooked. The wish list includes:
Radio dramas and plays: Engaging series that bring stories to life.
Audio features: Documentaries and innovative audio formats.
Digital-first content: Podcasts and modern storytelling series.
Music and knowledge: Classical, folk, and light music, alongside quiz competitions.
The programmes, which can be in Hindi, English, or various regional languages , must be delivered in “bite-sized” episodes of either 14 or 28 minutes.
Creators can choose from three distinct partnership models:
Revenue sharing mode (RSM): A collaborative approach where production costs are borne by the creator, and advertising revenue is split. If the producer handles the marketing, they keep a 70% share; if Akashvani takes the lead, the producer receives 65%.
Sponsored mode: Perfect for those with their own brand backing. Producers pay a fee and receive free commercial time to promote their sponsors.
Gratis mode: For creators looking to reach a massive audience without financial exchange.
Don’t reach for the microphone just yet. All proposals will be grilled by an Evaluation Committee based on a strict 100 point scoring matrix. Judges will be looking at creative treatment, script quality, sound design, and the “commercial potential” of the idea. Only those scoring 75 marks or higher will make the cut.
Once an agreement is signed with the Prasar Bharati head of programme , successful applicants must maintain a healthy “episode bank” to ensure the show goes on without a hitch.
Hopefuls have until 31 May 2026 to submit their ideas. Proposals should be sent via email to the respective Nodal Office or Cluster Head. All content must strictly adhere to the AIR Broadcast Code and the Commercial Advertising Code of All India Radio.
This initiative marks a significant step for Prasar Bharati as it seeks to blend traditional broadcasting with modern, regional, and innovative audio trends. For those with a story to tell or a song to share, it is time to give the public a reason to listen.
