Vintage meets modern at radio fair in capital city

Bhubaneswar: The 11th International Radio Fair kicked off on Thursday, blending vintage radios with modern broadcasting techniques to celebrate the rich history and future of the medium. The fair has been organised by the voluntary organisation Outreach to mark World Radio Day. Several radio enthusiasts, professionals, and collectors were in attendance.
"The objective of organising this event is to keep alive the magical charm of radio and to attract younger generations to this powerful medium for creating awareness, spreading information, and providing entertainment," said Subrat Pati, convenor of Outreach.
A major highlight of the fair is the presence of 77-year-old radio mechanic Deshbandhu Rath, who has become the most sought-after figure at the event. Visitors queued up at his stall to get their vintage radio sets repaired. Rath, with experience spanning over five decades, fixed them easily. "People from far-off places came to repair their radio sets. With the advent of other entertainment media, the popularity of radio has gone down, but there are still some enthusiasts," Rath said.
This year's event also featured participation from five radio stations in Nepal, including notable broadcasters like Arjun Giri, president of Nepal's Association of Community Radio Broadcasters (ACORAB), along with Jeevan Lama of Kalinchok FM, Deepak Kumar Ghimire of Hazucko Radio, Saroj Raj Subedi of Tamakoshi FM, and Pradeep Kafle of Radio Nepal "This is a unique fair which has been playing a crucial role in keeping the importance of radio alive. We are happy to see that people, including youngsters, are still interested in radio," said Arjun Giri.
The fair also showcased over 3,000 vintage radios, ham radios, gramophones, and broadcasting equipment. Collectors like Akshay Pattanaik from Bolagarh and Rajendra Sahu from Bhubaneswar displayed rare and antique models, becoming major attractions of the fair.
Community radio stations and ham radio operators showcased various instruments, highlighting the medium's role in connecting remote and marginalised communities. Among them, Radio Juhar of Keonjhar, led by station in-charge Sushri Sangeeta Deo, stood out for its exceptional contribution to public service. The station played a pivotal role in creating awareness about human-elephant conflict in the region.
"By collaborating with the forest department, Radio Juhar has been instrumental in informing local communities about the movement of elephant herds, thereby helping to mitigate conflicts and save lives," said Deo.
Radio Juhar was honoured with the best community radio award at the fair, while singer Barnali Hota received the Upendra Kumar Pahadsingh Memorial Award. Retired Akashvani programme executive Abhay Das received the Nadiya Bihari Memorial Award.