The FM station of All India Radio, Karwar, has completed two decades of successful service. The FM station which began broadcasting the programmes on February 13, 1994, has acquired immense popularity in the area despite many odds.

The station was sanctioned to Karwar by the Union government when FM technology was gradually gaining popularity in the country. Devaray Naik, then MP from Uttara Kannada, played an important role in Karwar getting the station. The main aim was to popularize Kannada in the border area, said Prabhakar Rane, who was a minister when it was inaugurated.

The spurt in the use of the cell phones has played an important role in attracting the youths towards our programmes, said Basu Bevinagidad, head of AIR Karwar. "The availability of FM technology in cell phones made us to easily reach out to them. We broadcast phone-in programmes based on the film songs. Majority of the callers are youths and students. Apart from this, our programmes for the farmers, students and fishermen are also popular,'' he said.

It is thanks to this FM station that many local artistes who were waiting for an opportunity came into the limelight, said Jagadeesh Pednekar, a tabla artiste.

Akashvani Karwar has recorded many programmes of renowned artistes, especially folk music and Yakshagana, in the past two decades. "It is our pride that the folk songs by Nadoja award winner Sukri Bommu Gowda and programmes by Yaksha artistes like late Keremane Shambhu Hegde, Shivaram Hegde and Chittani Ramachandra Hedge were recorded and preserved by the AIR Karwar,'' said Nagesh Vernekar, a regular listener of Karwar FM station.

"The women's and children programmes and film music are my favourites. I prefer radio to TV because we can do our work while listening to it,'' said Asha Naik, a tailor.

"I stay in a hostel. There is no TV set in my room. But radio is my friend. I am a regular listener of the FM radio,'' said Anusha, an engineering student.

"The FM station has given the much-needed impetus to the spread of Kannada in the area. We convey our best wishes to it on the occasion of its 21st anniversary,'' said N Datta, a Kannada activist from Karwar.

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