All India Radio (AIR) Chennai will be completing 75 years of its service to the nation on 16 June 2013.

From the past one year, the station has been airing all the old archives like music, plays, and speeches of prominent personalities to celebrate its platinum jubilee this year. On 18 June, a function to celebrate the platinum jubilee will be held at Vani Mahal in T Nagar.

Speaking with Radioandmusic.com, Chennai AIR programme executive (coordination) Selvakumar said, “The year-long special program based on platinum jubilee will be held on 18 June as we have planned a celebration on that day. The event will be aired live on AIR in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry from 4.30 to 8.30pm.”

Prasar Bharati CEO Jawahar Sircar, AIR director general LD Mondloi and Staff Selection Commission (2009 to 2013) retired chairman NK Raghupathy will be gracing the event. The functions will take place at Vani Mahal in T Nagar. Classical concert by M Balamuralikrishna will be attraction of the function. Chennai station is currently headed by additional director general KP Srinivasan.

The Chennai AIR was inaugurated on June 16, 1938 by Rajaji, the then premier of Madras Presidency. His inaugural speech will be broadcast on 16 June at 7 am in Chennai.

In 1924, Carnavalli V Krishnaswamy, a Manchester-trained engineer of the Corporation of Madras, founded the Madras Presidency Radio Club and started the first broadcasting service in India. When the Club ran into financial difficulties, Krishnaswamy persuaded the Corporation to take over Madras Broadcasting in 1929.

All India Radio took over the Madras Municipal Broadcasting Service in 1938. AIR started functioning at Marshalls Road, Egmore and it moved to its present location in July 1954.

In 1977, India’s first ever-regular FM service was broadcast from this station.

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