Prison Radio in the Jails of Uttarakhand

September 23, 2021

Inmates of Dehradun's Sudhowala Jail to become Radio Jockeys, Auditions are over, Training starts from today

●     Auditions completed in Dehradun's Sudhowala Jail to prepare inmates as radio jockeys

●     About 20 inmates of the jail had submitted the application, including 5 women inmates.

●     A soundproof studio is being prepared in the jail

●     The selection and training of inmates will be the responsibility of Dr. Vartika Nanda, the founder of Tinka Tinka 

14 inmates from Dehradun jail are all set to work as radio jockeys for the upcoming jail radio. This is part of the initiative to bring Jail Radio in the jails of Uttarakhand.

District Jail Dehradun was chosen as the first to start the radio station. the capital of Uttarakhand

Purpose and the Process

to connect the inmates with positive work and to reduce their stress. Inmates

Inmates in Sudhowala Jail in Dehradun, were informed about this in the month of July and encouraged to submit their names to become radio jockeys. After this, the first stage was initiated in the jail and then the process of audition was materialized.  

Jail reformer Dr. Vartika Nanda has been given the responsibility of bringing radio to the jail. She is also credited with bringing radio to the jails of Haryana in 2021 and the oldest jail of the country, District Jail Agra, in 2019. She is the founder of Tinka Tinka. She heads the Department of Journalism at Lady Shri Ram College, University of Delhi.

Soundproof Studio in Jail

Several male and female inmates lodged in the jail have applied for the role of radio jockeys. Tinka Tinka will provide professional radio jockey training to the applicants who pass the audition and will also be given a certificate. A soundproof studio is being set up in the jail. This radio will be based on the Tinka Model of Prison Reforms. Jail Radio will cater to both the information and entertainment needs of the prison. This will give an opportunity to the talented inmates to showcase their talent through various programs. This radio will also give information about the daily official activities in the jail. Apart from this, songs of choice, information about going to court, information about the activities of the jail administration, familial meetings and other topics, will also be provided and focused on.

Inspired by Haryana jails

Uttarakhand Jail Radio is divided into three phases that will include 10 jails. District Jail Dehradun, District Jail Haridwar and Sub-Jail Haldwani have been selected for the first phase. This selection was done by the then Inspector General of Prisons, Shri AP Anshuman.

According to Dehradun jail Superintendent Shri Dadhiram and Jailor Shri Pawan Kothari, the main objective of making inmates radio jockeys is to encourage them for a new life by giving them a platform to air their talents.

About Dr. Vartika Nanda

Vartika Nanda is a prison reformer. Tinka Tinka is her series of prison reforms. She started the radio in 2019, at District Jail, Agra, the oldest jail building in the country. She has been honoured with the Stree Shakti Award from the then President of India Shri Pranab Mukherjee in 2014. Her works on prisons have twice found a place in the Limca Book of Records. Currently, she heads the Department of Journalism in Lady Shri Ram College, University of Delhi.

The state's first prison radio in Haryana was inaugurated by the Jail Minister Ranjit Singh at the District Jail of Panipat on January 16, 2021. There are a total of 19 jails in Haryana, out of which 3 are Central Jails. So far, the radio has been introduced in 7 jails and 47 inmates have been given training as radio jockeys. These include 10 women and one transgender.

Tinka Tinka India Awards 2020

Honouring Jails on Human Rights Day ~17 detainees and prison officers selected this year~ 

• 17 inmates and jail officers and staff awarded 
• Uttar Pradesh received the highest number of awards 
• Amitabh Bachchan awarded for Jail Sanitisation; one award was given posthumously. 
• The theme for this year was Corona in Jail. 
• Awards were released by Shri K. Selvaraj (IPS) DG, Haryana Prisons, Shri Ajay Kashyap (IPS) Former DG, Tihar Prisons, Shri Anand Kumar DGP and IG Prisons, UP 
• The jury included Shri Ajay Kashyap (IPS), Shri OP Singh (IPS) and Dr. Vartika Nanda (Founder, Tinka Tinka) 

On the eve of Human Rights Day, Tinka Tinka India Awards were announced. This was the 6th year of celebration of exclusive awards for inmates and staff. The inmates joined live for the first time and shared their thoughts in the presence of senior jail officials. 

This year, there were 3 categories: Painting, Special Mention and Prison Administration. 7 inmates received awards in the Painting category while 6 were chosen for their special contribution to prison life. 4 awards were given to prison staff, including one given posthumously. 

Narendra Nath Sarkar (42), lodged in Tihar Jail Delhi, bagged the first prize in the painting category. Rajju Kaul(74), incarcerated in Mirzapur Jail in UP, received the second prize while Firoz Rai, lodged in Darjeeling District Correctional Home, West Bengal, got the 3rd prize. Consolation prize has gone to Vaishali Kaushal (21) lodged in Mandoli Jail, Tihar and Madhvan boarded in Coimbatore Jail Tamil Nadu. 

Special Prize in this category is shared by Rafiq Ahmed and Parveez from District Jail, Bijnor. 6 inmates received awards in the Special Mention category. 53-year-old Ajay Chauhan from District Jail Mainpuri was chosen for his extraordinary work on Prison Jail Radio, helping inmates fight depression during Covid-19. 40-year-old Amitabh Bachchan, incarcerated in District Jail, Firozabad, was selected for his extraordinary work as Health Warrior. A convict, Amitabh Bachchan, had been sanitizing the jail since the beginning of Covid-19. 37-year-old Chirag Kishorbhai Rana, housed as convict in Central Jail, Ahmedabad, was chosen for helping inmates through the psychological cell in jail. Rana has been in prison for the last 11 years and has completed and learned more than 35 courses. Ashok Kumar, lodged in Model Jail Chandigarh, made the maximum number of masks during Covid-19. 33-year-old Madhavi Das is a convict and is considered to be the health warrior of the jail. She is incarcerated in Central Jail, Bilaspur. 24-year-old Rajat Sanjay, lodged in District Jail, Agra, had been chosen for his extraordinary work in jail radio. Jail Staffers had been chosen for their remarkable work in the jail. 

This year this category was dedicated to the memory of Late Raj Kumar Tripathi, who lost his life while doing his duty as Deputy Superintendent in District Jail, Chhindwara, Madhya Pradesh. DIG Prison Yogesh Desai from Maharashtra, Shamsher Singh, Head Warden from Faridabad District Jail, and Gayitri Bhaskar from Mandoli Jail also received this recognition. 

The Chief Guests of this ceremony were Shri K. Selvaraj (IPS) DG, Haryana Prisons, Shri Ajay Kashyap (IPS) Former DG, Tihar Prisons, and Shri Anand Kumar ADG, UP Prisons. The awards were released through a video conference organized in District Jail, Faridabad. 

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तिनका तिनका इंडिया अवॉर्ड्स- 2020: मानवाधिकार दिवस पर जेलों को सम्मान

इस साल चुने गए 17 बंदी और जेल अधिकारी, एक विशेष पुरस्कार मरणोपरांत  

नई दिल्ली। देश में हर वर्ष मानवाधिकार दिवस पर बंदियों और जेलकर्मियों को सम्मानित करने वाली संस्था तिनका तिनका फाउंडेशन 9 दिसंबर को पुरस्कारों की घोषणा करेगी। इस वर्ष अवॉर्ड्स की थीम ‘कोरोना के दौर में जेल’ है। महामारी के दौर में भी इस वर्ष हर श्रेणी में भारी मात्रा में नामांकन आए। इस वर्ष आए करीब 300 नामांकन में 33 महिलाएं भी शामिल थीं। इस वर्ष नतीजे काफी दिलचस्प रहे हैं। इस साल तीन श्रेणियां रहीं- पेंटिंग, विशेष प्रतिभा और जेल प्रशासकों के लिए पुरस्कार।

विजेता बदियो औऱ जेल अधिकारियों के नामों की घोषणा मानवाधिकार दिवस की पूर्व संध्या यानी 9 दिसंबर को की जाएगी। इन पुरस्कारों को श्री के. सेल्वाराज, आईपीएस, महानिदेशक, हरियाणा कारागार और श्री अजय कश्यप, आईपीएस, पूर्व महानिदेशक दिल्ली जेल रिलीज करेंगे।

इस साल निर्णायक मण्डल में श्री अजय कश्यप (आईपीएस), पूर्व महानिदेशक दिल्ली जेल, श्री ओ.पी. सिंह (आईपीएस) पूर्व महानिदेशक, उत्तर प्रदेश पुलिस और डॉ. वर्तिका नन्दा, संस्थापक, तिनका तिनका शामिल रहे। 2019 में निर्णायक मंडल में श्री जावेद अहमद, आईपीएस, महानिदेशक, एनआईसीएफएस और श्री राम फल यादव, आईपीएस, महानिदेशक, नेशनल क्राइम रिकॉर्ड ब्यूरो शामिल थे। इन्हें जिला जेल, लखनऊ में श्री आनन्द कुमार,  पुलिस महानिदेशकमहानिरीक्षक,  कारागार, उत्तर प्रदेश, श्री सुलखान सिंह, पूर्व पुलिस महानिदेशक,  उतर प्रदेश और वर्तिका नन्दा,  संस्थापक, तिनका तिनका ने दिया था।

वर्तिका नन्दा का कहना है कि तिनका तिनका पुरस्कारों का यह छठा साल है और इनका मकसद जेलों में सृजन करने वाले बंदियों और विशेष काम कर रहे जेल अधिकारियों का सम्मान करना और उन्हें मुख्यधारा में एक पहचान देना है। हर साल यह समारोह देश की किसी जेल में किया जाता है।

वर्तिका नन्दा भारत की स्थापित जेल सुधारक हैं। तिनका तिनका भारतीय जेलों पर उनकी श्रृंखला है। वे 2014 में भारत के राष्ट्रपति से स्त्री शक्ति पुरस्कार से सम्मानित हो चुकी हैं। जेलों पर उनके काम को दो बार लिम्का बुक ऑफ रिकॉर्ड्स में भी जगह मिली है।  तिनका तिनका डासना औऱ तिनका तिनका मध्य प्रदेश- जेलों की जिंदगी का दस्तावेज देती उनकी लिखी किताबें हैं।

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History and Growth of Aaj Tak

Disclaimer: The note/s given below is/are a compilation of information taken from various sources. The references to the sources are provided at the end. The views expressed in the note/s are those of the concerned student/s/intern/s. The blogger or the compiler will not be responsible in any manner whatsoever regarding the authenticity of the information provided in the note/s.

These notes are being compiled to help the students for educational purposes during the Covid-19 pandemic.

 Introduction:

Aaj Tak, a Hindi news channel run by the TV Today Network, is one of the oldest news channels in India. According to the Broadcast Audience Research Council, Aaj Tak is one of the most-watched media channels in terms of viewership. Even on Youtube, it has the highest number of subscribers - over 47 million.

First Visit to Lady Shri Ram College: Batch 2023

Disclaimer: This report has been prepared by the students of the Batch of 2023, Department of Journalism, Lady Shri Ram College For Women, on their first visit to their college post-pandemic, on Monday, September 20, 2021. The report is a compilation of individual experience shared by each student of the group. 

"A dream is not that which you see while sleeping, it is something that does not let you sleep."- Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam 

"Lady Shri Ram College for Women is the best premier academic institution in India. Whenever one thinks of higher education in her academic life, Lady Shri Ram stands at the top of her bucket list and so did mine. Soon after my school, I was determined to land into my dream college and get to experience its legacy. However, despite garnering admission, the pandemic stole my chance to visit and cherish the beautiful red walls of this esteemed institution. Physically studying in the beautiful campus stands as another dream for the aspiring students. The campus is green and lively, huge and marvelous and incredibly beautiful. For the first time I fortunately got a chance to visit the campus on September 20. To see the campus, my hardworking professors and the well-equipped college campus has been a dream come true. Every bit of the college had a unique energizing vibe to it. It was a great opportunity to meet my friends and professors who had been helping and encouraging me in the online mode of learning. We also got a chance to see the tech-facilitated Media Lab of Lady Shri Ram College which offers great incentives to aspiring journalists with its studio rooms. It was also a great experience working with my professors. Every effort of theirs makes me realise that I'm in safe hands building my future." : Priyanka

"Dream, dream, dream... Dreams transform into thoughts and thoughts result in action. You cannot change your future, but surely you can write about your future. LSR was always my dream college and Journalism was always my dream course. I remember the day when I got admission into LSR. I was full of tears, tears of happiness, tears of achievement, tears of my hard work that paid me well. But, there came another hurdle, the pandemic that shook all of us to our roots. Fortunately, on September 20, after almost a year past my admission, I got the chance to come to college and visit the campus. Our professor, Dr. Vartika Nanda ma'am, gave us an opportunity to gain such a wonderful experience. We met and interacted with our teachers who were really cheerful and happy to see us in the college for the very first time. Vartika ma'am also provided us with help to gain an insight into how things are actually done in the offline mode. This physical mode of working experience was really a great learning opportunity. We had small chit-chats, we laughed together, we worked together, we learnt together! I can't wait to have this experience again." : Vidhi Gupta 

"Lady Shri Ram College for Women has always been a dream college for me, and it felt like a surreal dream came true visiting it for the first time. The campus is absolutely beautiful - there are flowers everywhere, there are dogs roaming around in the campus. For a second, I actually thought I was in heaven! After sitting at home for a whole year, completing my first year of college online, actually being on the campus felt so productive. We worked under the guidance of Dr. Vartika Nanda. It was a great experience. She is so motivating and so cheerful. We were accompanied by two dogs in our class too, Sunshine and Chase. They made my day just a little better with their presence. All faculty members were immensely welcoming! Even though I met my professors for the first time, it felt like I’ve known them forever. We clicked pictures with them, and chatted with them about academics and beyond. There isn’t anything else I would trade this experience for. I can’t wait to spend my next two years in this college!" : Astha Modi

"My first visit to Lady Shri Ram College for Women was indeed  an unforgettable one. I'm out of words while I try to describe the beauty of the college. Those green lawns and gardens just brought a gentle breeze with a sense of peace while I was sitting in the class. The best of the memories were created while clicking pictures with friends and interacting with them for the first time physically. It was a blessing to talk to the faculty in real life, something I wish we could've done earlier. All of the teachers were extremely sweet and welcoming - it seemed as if we had found a new family in college! Not to forget, the whole credit goes to the Head of the Department, Dr. Vartika Nanda ma'am. She gave us this  golden opportunity. She is really the sweetest! This will count as one of the best days of my life and I will always cherish this wonderfully amazing experience!" :  Jahanvi Aggarwal

"When I was first asked about going to college, I grew very excited! I always wondered when I'd get this precious chance and at last, I had got it! Those red walls of LSR gave butterflies in my stomach. The college campus was wonderful! There's greenery as far as the sight goes. It was an amazing experience visiting it personally, meeting our fantastic faculty and a few of my classmates. I got the golden opportunity to work with the Head of our Department, Dr. Vartika Nanda ma'am, who was very kind to have given us this golden opportunity! I never thought that it could be this fun and interesting. As an introvert, I tend to talk very little, but the friendly atmosphere helped me quickly get engaged in the work and interact with a lot of people! I also got to meet the sweetest dogs of LSR, Sunshine and Sweetie, they were very happy in our presence. Other than this, I spoke to Vikram Sir who was very kind and gave us a glimpse of Media Lab. He told us everything about it and what we are supposed to do there. I also got a chance to have a beautiful conversation with the staff member overlooking the café. She was very sweet and agreed to serve us the tastiest coffee. We also captured  many pictures and selfies in different parts of the college. The experience made me extremely delighted and I wish to visit the college again!" :  Anjita Sharma

 

Compiled By

Batch of 2023

B.A. (Hons.) Journalism

Lady Shri Ram College For Women, New Delhi