Doordarshan marks 67 years of broadcasting

New Delhi, Sep 15, 2026 : India’s public service broadcaster Doordarshan is celebrating its 67th foundation day today. The public service broadcaster marked its inception in 1959 as an experimental television service under All India Radio. Over the decades, it has grown into a vital platform for information dissemination, cultural preservation, and national integration, reaching nearly 100 percent of the population through satellite and Direct to Home services.

Established on 15th September 1959, Doordarshan marked the beginning of India’s broadcasting era. The then President, Dr Rajendra Prasad, inaugurated the first broadcast on that day. Until 1975, it was a part of All India Radio. A pivotal moment came with the separation from All India Radio on 1st April, 1976, granting Doordarshan operational autonomy to expand its reach.

The introduction of colour television in 1982, coinciding with the Asian Games in Delhi, transformed Doordarshan’s visual appeal and viewership. The establishment of Prasar Bharati as an autonomous corporation on 23rd September, 1997, under the Prasar Bharati Act, 1990, further professionalized Doordarshan, integrating it with All India Radio under a unified public broadcasting framework. With a network of 35 satellite channels and 66 Studio Centers, Doordarshan serves diverse linguistic and cultural communities, by delivering content in over 24 languages and various dialects.

Doordarshan also aired some of the most iconic series, such as Ramayana, Mahabharat, Hum Log, Buniyaad, Chanakya, Malgudi Days, Shaktimaan, Chitrahaar, Fauji, Circus, and Udaan, which set high standards for exceptional programming and entertainment while sustaining its essential function of raising public awareness.