Having started in the year 2000 – Ranchi University of Jharkhand has its own Radio Community Station – Radio Khanchi 90.4 FM is playing a crucial role in the life of students studying in the campus. The radio station having a range of only 15 km, provides academic information to the students.
Academic lectures of different subjects are broadcast on this community radio. Apart from this, the radio also focuses on the lectures by the doctors regarding how to deal with depression which is very common in the University Campus.
Awareness campaigns related to health and society are broadcast on a priority basis. This community radio station does not deal with any political and religious subjects, and is purely used for academic purposes including placement and examination details. Even the students praised the community radio station, which is unique in itself.
The broadcast of Radio Khanchi was started on March 08, 2020 in which the Information and Public Relation Department (IPRD) of Jharkhand government played a crucial role by providing funds to it.
“The broadcasting of community radio starts from 7 a.m. and ends at 10 p.m. It goes uninterrupted from music to scholarly lectures, discussions, podcasts and self-written poems are also included in our programs. The students listen to the programs of Radio Khanchi with great interest because apart from academic lectures and entertainment, university and state government releases are also broadcast on it. This is the only community radio station in Jharkhand,” said B.P. Sinha, director of Radio Khanchi who is also the director of mass communication of Ranchi University.
He further said that tribal languages have also been added recently and its teaching has started through community radio.
“Doctors from Tata Trust regularly visit the studio and give information about diseases and their diagnosis. The main purpose is to deal with the cases of depression because in the University lots of students take study as a burden and they go into depression if they do not get the desired marks. So the specialized doctors visit the radio station and share methods on how to deal with the depression like engaging themselves in sports, music, fitness, reading books of their choice,” Mr. Sinha said.
Randhir Kumar, a PG student of Ranchi University praised the community radio and said, “It is very useful for us and keeps on giving updates about the activities of the university. Even we get information about the exam date through it. Topic wise lectures from the eminent professor help us to understand the subject in better ways.”
Famous poets and litterateurs of the city also broadcast their creations through Radio Khanchi. Professors of Ranchi University and other universities keep on recording their academic lectures on their respective subjects. Their lectures are uploaded on YouTube channel on this community radio.
Many students from other universities have visited to understand the operation of Radio Khanchi. Students of Usha Martin University, St. Xavier’s College, Amity University, AviramCollege Of Education, Central University, Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee University and other students have visited this community radio station.
Kumar Utkarsh, another student of Ranchi University said, “We are lucky to be in this university which has given us the opportunity to listen to some of the great interviews and lectures. The best part of community radio is that it does not deal with any politics and religion and is completely focused on academics.”
Many students have visited the community radio for the internship as well. Recently Shalini Chaudhary, a researcher of IIT Kharagpur wrote a thesis on this radio station. Various programs are being planned for the future so that the popularity of Radio Khanchi among the listeners could increase.
Aditi Kumari, a student of the Ranchi University expressed her happiness saying that she is lucky to be the part of the community radio.
“This community radio is dedicated to the students and I am lucky to be a part of this radio station. I have got the opportunity to visit the studio as well where RJ’s and other people record their shows. Director sir is continuously motivating us to present a show on the radio station and one day I will present my own show on it,” Ms. Kumari said.
Pradeep Mishra, the producer of the Radio Khanchi said that in days to come more RJs would be recruited in the station as shows are getting popular every passing day. At present it has only one RJ.
