Kota jail inmates get their own FM channel Jailvani

Around 1,800 prisoners of the Kota Central jail can now listen to their favourite entertainment and information programmes daily, thanks to Jailvani, an in-house FM radio channel launched by the jail administration recently.

Informing about the FM radio channel, the jail superintendent, Suman Maliwal, said that the channel broadcasts various programmes including Hindi film songs, devotional music, jokes and news everyday from 12.30 pm to 2 pm.

The good thing about the jail inmates is that the radio jockey (RJ) for the channel is one of their own. The RJ, Ravindra, knows likes and dislikes of the inmates well, to whom the inmates send their choices of songs prior to 11.30 am every day, said Maliwal. Ravindra shortlists the songs keeping in view the sentiments of the jail inmates and plays on the scheduled time, she added.

Briefing about the Jailvani’s programme schedule, Maliwal said the channel will play ‘Salaam-e-Hindustan’, a programme of patriotic songs with information about government schemes, on Monday. ‘Bhoole Bisre Geet’, a programme of old film songs with information about Rajasthan and other Indian states, and maintaining discipline in the jails, will be delievered on Tuesday.

Prisoners will be able to broadcast their poems and jokes on the channel through ‘Zaro Muskura Do’ programme, along with Hindi film songs and information on schemes, on Wednesday. Sermons of religious gurus and bhajans will be broadcast in ‘Aradhana’ programme on Thursday.

Likewise, ‘Mehfil-e-Tarrannum’ will be broadcast on Friday, in which prisoners will be able to broadcast their Urdu ghazals and poems and the jail administration would give information about parol, legal aid and inmate meeting.

In ‘Aapki Farmaish’ programme on Saturday songs of great singers such as Lata Mangeshkar, Mohammad Rafi and Kishore Kumar will be played on the choice of inmates, along with information about health issues.

The jail administration has put up speakers in every nook and corner of the jail campus, so that the inmates could listen to the channel programmes. “Jailvani will not only be a platform for entertainment of the inmates, but also provide an opportunity to them for indulging themselves in creative activity,” Maliwal said. “Also, Jailvani will provide a medium of interaction for inmates with famous administrators, police officials, health officials, thinkers, academicians, professors and others,” she added.

This is the second Jailvani FM channel in any jail of Rajasthan. Earlier, the channel was launched in the Bhilwara Jail in 2017.

First Published: Apr 21, 2019 14:50 IST