From radio, with love...
Hyderabad: During Valentine’s Week, when the world is filled with roses, love letters and beautiful songs, the radio quietly tells its own story of love. It may not bring chocolates or flowers, but every gentle “krick… krick…” and the familiar voice in the air touches our hearts in a special way.
World Radio Day, celebrated on February 13, fits perfectly into this week dedicated to love. But here, it’s not just about romantic love, it’s more about the bonds people have with voices, songs and memories that the radio has carried across decades, the universal medium that leaves no one behind.
For Nageswar Rao, a 71-year-old retired government employee, an avid radio listener, radio isn’t just a device, it’s a thread connecting him to his childhood. “Imagine sitting in your favorite old chair on a quiet morning, the sound of a radio turning on and soft tunes being played. Right from childhood, I’ve had a keen interest in listening to the radio,” said Nageswar Rao. My favorite song is 'Bujji Bujji Papayi,' I keep calling All India Radio (AIR) to request that song. Even today, despite all the new technology, I find comfort in the radio. It’s a special connection I have carried with me all these years,” he added.
For Lakshmi Narayana, a 53-year-old tailor, the radio is a companion and a source of daily inspiration. “My day starts with listening to songs on the Radio. I still have my father's old radio. I love listening to Balu garu’s songs, along with Sushilamma, Janakamma and Chitra gari’s beautiful voices,” he said.
For Narayana, the radio is a shared experience, the song he requests is a gift not just for himself but for everyone who listens, reminding them of their own moments. “I can easily play any song on my phone, but the radio is different. When I request an old song, it’s not just for me. Many listeners hear it and it brings back memories for them too. It’s like sharing a piece of my heart with strangers,” he explained.
He also said that in a world where everything is on-demand, the radio reminds us of the beauty of waiting, the wait that your requested song might play, the joy of hearing your name mentioned on-air and the thrill of knowing someone, somewhere, is listening along with you.
