Diversity on the small screen: when Doordarshan stitched together a nation

Reading Sheila Chaman’s Doordarshan Diaries: The Golden Era of Television (Om Books International) is like rediscovering the magic of the public broadcaster. From the silent generation to the boomers who witnessed the birth and growth of Indian television, from Gen X and the millennials often described as the Doordarshan generation to Gen Z and Alpha who perhaps do not connect with its content, this book is a reminder of the uncomplicated times long before algorithms dictated our remote-controlled lives.

It is almost impossible today to gather around the television like we did for broadcasts on a single channel at a fixed time. Those intense emotions and feelings TV viewing evoked have diminished. From shared cultural ritual in front of the television, for limited news to entertainment, sports or education, everything is now available on an industrial scale with 918 private satellite channels.

Conversation starter

That is why Sheila Chaman’s book compels you to pause and understand how the daily four hours of broadcast, unified the country, inspiring conversations and shaping opinions.

The veteran broadcaster, who grew with the medium over a span of three decades, does not state the obvious decline, but through her vivid recollection writes about several untold behind-the-scenes anecdotes that bring alive the pioneering spirit of the people behind popular and iconic programmes who transformed Doordarshan into a national memory.

It is important to realise that Doordarshan was not just a channel disseminating tailored information but also upheld constitutional values promoting national integration and social development.

Chaman’s is an insider’s perspective on the early days of the organisation, its transition and transformation. She captures the nostalgia of unfettered journalism. Reading her is like reconnecting with the older and quieter version of a tolerant India. She highlights the challenges of producing content in those days and reflects on discipline and creativity that helped programmes resonate with diverse audiences.

Challenging a monopoly

It may be prudent not to indict current television programmes, but the advent of cable TV did challenge Doordarshan’s monopoly. The saturated media landscape today says something forlorn about DD, a foundational pillar of national media history that began as a modest experiment in public service telecasting.

Once Upon a Prime Time by Ananth Mahadevan (Embassy Books) is partially autobiographical giving an interesting insight into the first-hand experience of those who performed for television audiences and were not part of any consumer-driven shows. It is a throwback for those connected with the medium and its services, past and present.

Public Service Broadcasting in India: A Study of Doordarshan by Rommani Sen Shitak (Bluerose Publishers) reflects on the journey of television in India from its humble beginnings in 1959 to a flourishing sector; how Doordarshan started off with socio-educational experiments, and became a multi-channel network catering to diverse linguistic and ethnic groups. Shitak takes stock of changes that took place in terms of policies, financing and programming over the years. There is a detailed analysis of the strategies implemented by Doordarshan when it was faced with competition from private networks.

The Ramayana effect

IAS officer Bhaskar Ghose who was appointed director-general of Doordarshan by Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, has authored Doordarshan Days (Penguin India), talking about his seminal role in the organisation’s development. This included the airing of popular serials such as Ramayana and Mahabharata; the first live broadcast of the cricket World Cup; the advent of satellite transmission; the first live election coverage; building Doordarshan’s international presence; and the onslaught of private networks.

Ghose’s attempts at reforming Doordarshan put him in conflict with the murky underside of public broadcasting and he candidly recounts with his characteristic humour the struggle to bring about change.

In another memoir by the same name (Doordarshan Days), Manna Bahadur, remembers the days when TV news did not sound like a screamathon and its programmes were a treat for the entire family. He talks about the iconic presenters who became fashion trendsetters for the nation. The memoir treads on DD’s anxious birth, teething pains, its golden period to its expansion.

Many books on Doordarshan cover television history and its connection to All India Radio (AIR), as both were part of the same public broadcasting system.

For instance, how many know that Rabindranath Tagore dedicated a poem to AIR called Akashvani, which was adopted as the broadcaster’s Hindi name; that an AIR producer was the first civilian allowed inside the Golden Temple after Operation Blue Star; or that noted Pakistani ghazal singer Ghulam Ali made his disciples listen to AIR’s Urdu service to correct Urdu pronunciation.

These and many other tales make up Akashvani: A Century of Stories from All India Radio by Neelesh Kulkarni and Vikrant Pande (HarperCollins Publishers India). With anecdotes from producers, broadcasters, radio jockeys and listeners, the book reveals the pivotal role of the mass media in an average Indian’s life.

The downfall

Vinod Kapoor in Radio Cavalcade: Indian Broadcasting …A Look Back (Notion Press) writes about the day when India gained independence, the scene at AIR during Gandhi’s assassination, the way soap operas gained prominence, and how Hindi cinema provided a stream of artists it nurtured. The author critically discusses the clipped freedom of professionals under the Prasar Bharati Act and how it led to the downfall of public broadcasting.

Viewers of a certain vintage will understand better that Doordarshan mirrors India’s growth from a young republic to a global player, and fundamentally shaped every Indian’s consumption of news, education and entertainment.

It should continue to fulfil its public service mandate, reflecting diversity and inclusivity.

But does it? Its existence today is no less important, but perhaps different.

Published – January 08, 2026 08:30 am IST