Tinka Jail Radio and its unique musical journey in 2021

The year 2021 has been memorable for jails across the country. This year, Tinka Tinka Foundation took robust steps forward in tying inmates together with the tune of radio and music, as described in its motto to 'create rainbows behind the bars'. 

As an essential component of its much-acclaimed Tinka Model of Prison Reforms, the organization, founded by Dr. Vartika Nanda, pioneered the prison radio campaign in 7 of 19 jails in the state of Haryana, as well as in the barracks of Dehradun. As a part of these initiatives, at least 47 talented and well-deserving inmates received special training under Dr. Vartika Nanda's supervision in Haryana since December 2020, following the successful establishment of the radio initiative in District Jail, Agra in the year 2019.

Five musical compositions from the jails of Haryana and one from Uttarakhand were released this year by Tinka Tinka as an outcome of its prison radio movement fostering musical experiments in jails across India. These compositions include the song of Sheru, an inmate of Central Jail Ambala, which received appreciation by the former Union Health Minister on his various social media platforms. A song on Corona sung by inmate-turned-RJ Jitendra of District Jail, Rohtak, was also shared by the former Union Health Minister. A song sung and composed by RJ Kashish of Panipat Jail was released on Nelson Mandela Day. Tinka Tinka also facilitated 10 inmates of District Jail, Karnal, to release the prison's theme song. Its 26th episode, released on the festival of Janmashtami, featured a special Ragini, a Haryanvi folk song, sung by three inmates of Central Jail (I), Hisar. Finally, Tinka Tinka also helped 14 inmates from District Jail, Dehradun, curate and release the jail's theme song.

Released and broadcast across Tinka Tinka's social media platforms, including Google Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube channel, the songs in collective signify the spirit of courage and determination flowing within the prison imagination. The YouTube Channel, Tinka Tinka Prison Reforms, is the only channel in India that solely focuses on prison reforms and brings in authentic voices from prisons in each episode. These episodic podcasts are conceptualized, scripted and directed by Dr. Vartika Nanda.

Tinka Tinka Foundation is the brainchild of prison reformer and media educator Dr. Vartika Nanda who is credited for establishing prison radio stations in Haryana. These radio stations are carving space for a new cultural life by offering inmates the vocal medium to share their emotions, thoughts and musical expressions with the society.  In 2019, Dr. Nanda established radio in District Jail, Agra, located in the oldest jail building in the country. These radio stations were given special support by Shri Rajiv Arora, ACS Home, and Shri K Selvaraj, then DG Prisons in their establishment. Shri Akil Mohammad, DG Prisons, has also extended his unconditional support to  this journey.