Dnyanvani @ 90.4 FM

Contact Person: Dr. C.S. Thammaiah

Broadcasting Language: Hindi, Marathi and English

Genesis: Padmashree Dr. D.Y. Patil University embarked on a mission to spread awareness and education among the masses in its neighbouring community; thus, the satellite city Navi Mumbai got its first Community Radio Station in the form of Dnyanvani Radio on September 3, 2017. The initiative is sometimes also identified as DY Radio, a moniker fondly given by the students and the community locale. The station’s broadcasts reach approximately 12 to 15 km, covering areas from Airoli to Panvel, thus connecting two extreme ends of Navi Mumbai.  

Thematic Focus: The main focus areas of Dnyanvani lie in the fields of education, health and well-being, sports, spirituality, and women in leadership. The Radio explores these themes broadly in its programmes and formulates the content accordingly to promote the interests of the community. With strong ties rooted in the community, the station primarily highlights the nuances of the broader themes that are pertinent within the community. 

Sustainable Development Goals: The focus areas of intervention for the CRS are:

SDG 4: Quality Education

SDG 5: Gender Equality

SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions 

Primetime Programmes: The programmes that the radio station broadcasts are curated by the students for the community. Dnyanvani prides itself on generating more than half of its content through the direct participation of the community for which the station has been functioning. Being in constant touch with the youth of the area, the programmes reflect versatility as they cover topics ranging from the promotion of martial arts among women for self-defence to organising musical evenings for the old age homes across Navi Mumbai. 

Innovations in format or any other way: Apart from broadcasting content on radio, the station actively carries out activities on the ground to directly reach community members. These activities include reaching out to the villages in the vicinity to make them aware of the facilities, like health check-up camps, or conducting and covering local sports events. 

Core Team: The station is supported by the administrative members of its parent organisation. A core team of 6 members brings decades of experience to the table to manage the radio station efficiently.  

Major Projects Undertaken: The station has primarily carried out internal projects to support the radio station and community in general. Several of its programmes carried out in the last 5 years were designed to impart the technical skills required to run a radio station. With consequent success, the station has also expanded its outreach to include covering sports events and organising awareness drives. 

Sustainable Strategies: Dnyanvani is largely supported by its parent organisation, D. Y. Patil University. The university responsibly takes care of the resource provisions in terms of the financial and technical aspects of running a radio station. Its long term sustenance strategy relies on the creation of quality content that allows community members to actively participate in its programmes and events and thus support the radio station.

Number of listeners and Potential Outreach: Dnyanvani almost entirely covers the city of Navi Mumbai and is popular among its locals. Although the active listener base is yet to be ascertained, the radio station definitely holds a healthy outreach.

Major concerns in the Community: The major concern in the community is a lack of awareness about the basic amenities and facilities. The socio-economically backward areas within the vicinity of the radio station are predominantly plagued by the issue.