Radio Kesari @ 90.0 FM

Contact Person: Maya Shrivastava, Secretary- Maa Sharda Foundation  

 Broadcast Languages: Hindi & Bhojpuri 

Genesis: The Maa Sharda Foundation has worked on a range of livelihood-related issues since its inception, placing a special emphasis on the rights of women, children, and everyone in society. Since community radio can play a significant role in the lives of the community, MSF decided to establish a community radio station in order to reach out to the large community and create a positive impact in their lives. 

Thematic Focus: As an infotainment CRS, the main goals of Radio Kesari are to make the community aware of their rights and government programmes, to promote better education, and disseminate information on agriculture and natural calamities, while also being a source of entertainment and cultural promotion. As a woman-led CRS, Radio Kesari is committed to promoting women’s rights and equality in society, particularly in Deoria. Poverty is another area of focus to which the CRS is allocating its resources.

Sustainable Development Goals: The SDGs that the CRS focuses on and aspires to achieve are

 SDG 1: No Poverty 

SDG 3: Good Health and Well Being 

SDG 5: Gender Equality 

SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation 

SDG 13: Climate Action 

Primetime Programmes: A number of well-known programmes are produced and broadcast by the CRS, including Halchal, The TB Challenge, Gaane Ke Bahane, Umeed, Rakt, Bharat Banane Ki Kahani, and Climate Countdown. 

Innovations in format or any other way: Apart from traditional broadcasting, Radio Kesari also engages with its target community through the means of narrowcasting. 

Post the TB challenge, the CRS carried out a survey and found out that it was an effective intervention as many listeners benefited from the programme as they proceeded for diagnosis and sought treatment. The District TB official stated that there was a spike in the number of TB patients visiting hospitals after the programme was aired.

Core Team: Seven core members of Radio Kesari and more than 25 volunteers make up a robust team that manages various responsibilities and ensures the effective functioning of the CRS. 

Major Projects Undertaken: One of Radio Kesari’s many projects, initiatives, and interventions is the TB Challenge which turned out to be a highly impactful one in the target community. 

Sustainable Strategies: The Maa Sharda Foundation, Radio Kesari’s parent organisation, provides financial and technical support to ensure the seamless functioning of the CRS. The CRS also generates its own revenue by means of the different projects it undertakes. 

Number of listeners and Potential Outreach: The CRS covers a region with a population of at least 6 lakh individuals. The CRS estimates that it has between 1-2 lakhs of active listeners, though in-depth research is still needed.

Major concerns in the Community: Lack of proper information about government programmes, gender inequality and discrimination, child marriage, sanitization, flooding, poverty & hunger, and unhealthy lifestyle are the main issues in the community. The CRS is doing its best to address these issues and help the community eliminate them.