DD India celebrates 56th anniversary

Now within reach of more than one billion people, India’s public broadcaster Doordarshan is celebrating its 56th anniversary.

In a statement marking the anniversary of its founding on 15 September 1959, Doordarshan said: “In its journey spanning more than half a century, India’s public broadcaster has and will always serve the country with high quality programs” 

Doordarshan was set up as a tool for national development with a small transmitter and a makeshift studio. Regular daily transmissions started in 1965 and television services were separated from radio in 1976.

DD started its national telecasts in 1982, the same year that colour TV was introduced with the broadcast of the Asian Games from Delhi.

Today Doordarshan can reach more than 90 per cent of the Indian population and is one of the largest terrestrial networks in the world, with 35 channels on more than 1,400 terrestrial transmitters.