Raipur, Feb 13: Chief Minister Vishnudeo Sai attended a programme organised on the occasion of World Radio Day at a private hotel in Raipur on Friday, where he launched a pen drive containing a new singing version of Vande Mataram.
Extending greetings on World Radio Day, CM Sai congratulated All India Radio and UNESCO for organising the event. He said the theme “Radio and AI” is timely in the era of the information revolution, where artificial intelligence is rapidly expanding across sectors. He stressed the need to integrate AI with radio to make it more useful for the public, noting that timely and accurate information plays a vital role in citizen development.
CM Sai said All India Radio remains the country’s most trusted news broadcaster. Despite intense competition from private news channels focused on fast updates, it has maintained its tradition of reliable, balanced, and public-oriented information dissemination.
Speaking about its importance in Chhattisgarh, he said radio continues to be a powerful medium for information, education, and healthy entertainment. Recalling earlier times, the Chief Minister said that when remote villages had no access to other media, radio was the only medium connecting people with the country and the world. He added that programs like “Mann Ki Baat” by Prime Minister Narendra Modi demonstrate radio’s wide reach and influence.
The Chief Minister noted that All India Radio operates six stations in the state and the Vividh Bharati service is broadcast from Raipur. He said the combination of radio and AI can revolutionise communication by making content more effective, accurate, and faster. Emergency alerts, weather forecasts, agricultural advisories, and health information can be delivered more efficiently through AI-supported systems.
Highlighting the state’s technological push, CM Sai said the country’s first AI data centre park is being set up in Naya Raipur, which will open new opportunities in education, healthcare, agriculture, and technology security. He said innovation is being promoted through the new industrial policy, and digital technology is helping deliver government schemes to the last mile. Broadcasting in Chhattisgarhi, Gondi, and Halbi through All India Radio has strengthened local connections and increased listener engagement.
CM Sai said the credibility of radio, combined with the speed of AI, will further strengthen public service and help realise the vision of a developed state contributing to a developed India.
At the event, UNESCO Regional Advisor for Communication and Information, Hajaz Ma’ali, extended World Radio Day greetings and said radio remains the most trusted and widely accessible medium globally. She said radio has consistently delivered reliable information even during crises and can become more effective with AI integration. She added that Akashvani Raipur is providing services in Chhattisgarhi and Hindi across the state, especially in tribal-dominated regions, and UNESCO will continue to support innovation and technical expansion in radio broadcasting.
Also present at the event were Chhattisgarh Sahitya Academy President Shashank Sharma, Director General of Akashvani Rajiv Kumar Jain, and Deputy Director General V Rajeshwar, along with public representatives and officials.