Tinka Jail Radio: Jails in Haryana to Get Their Own Radio

This is Tinka Jail Radio: Jails in Haryana to get their own radio
• Jails of Ambala, Panipat and Faridabad to start jail radio
• 5 inmates from Panipat, 6 from Ambala and 10 from Faridabad were chosen radio presentation skill training
• Trained by prison reformer Dr. Vartika Nanda.
• One hour long daily programs on current affairs, jail news and songs

New Year has bought some good news for the jails in Haryana. For the first time, these jails will have their own jail radio which has been named as “Tinka Jail Radio”. Haryana has a total of 19 jails, out of which 3 are central jails whereas 16 are district jails. For the time being, jails in Haryana have a total of 20,423 inmates out of which more than 900 are females. Jail radio in the state is set to be started in the Central Jail, Ambala, District Jail, Panipat and District Jail, Faridabad. Auditions were held in the month of December after which 21 inmates from 3 jails were selected for the jail radio.

(5 inmates from Panipat jail, 6 inmates from Ambala Jail and 10 inmates from Faridabad jail). These include 5 female inmates from Faridabad jail Inmates were trained by Dr. Vartika Nanda, prison reformer and the Head of Department of Journalism in Lady Shri Ram College, Delhi University.
Selected inmates of these 3 jails were a part of 5 day radio training programme. These inmates are from different age groups and educational backgrounds. The purpose of the training was to prepare inmates to make radio programs along with making them understand about the needs and importance of jail radio.

The closing ceremony of the training programme was held at District Jail, Faridabad with the valedictory address by the Director General of Haryana Prisons Shri K. Selvaraj. Inmates were given feedback and also the certificate.
Radio station will be set up in the jail premises and will be broadcast though speakers set up outside the barracks. People from outside will not be able to connect with this station. It will have programming on legal issues, disease prevention, in-house talent and music. Inmates will also be able to submit requests or questions which will be answered in the next program.

According to Vartika Nanda, “Jails have already starting witnessing a change in prison atmosphere Inmates are busy polishing their talent, they are using the radio lingo and addressing each other as RJs. inmates will be both producers and the consumers. We are making a special model of Tinka Model of Prison Reforms which will be shared with other prisons across the country. Tinka Tinka is working towards becoming a bridge between prisons.”
A list of artists in the jail is being prepared which will decide their participation in the jail radio. Inmates from these 3 prisons have prepared their own intro song and tune. Inmates are searching for new opportunities using the limited resources in prison and are acting as counsellors for each other.

Jail radio was introduced for the first time in 2013 in the Tihar Prison. Dr. Nanda was present during that time to witness this event. Tinka Tinka launched jail radio on 31 July, 2019 in District Jail Agra, which remains as the oldest prison building in India. At the start of this jail radio, 2 inmates- Uday and Tuhina- were trained as RJs. Later, another inmate Rajat Sanjay took charge of the radio. Agra Jail Radio established a female inmate as a radio jockey for the first time.
In the second phase of Tinka Tinka Prison Model, all jails in Haryana will have their own jail radio. The radio name of each jail will be connected to its location like Tinka Jail Radio Ambala, Tinka Jail Radio Faridabad and Tinka Jail Radio Panipat. These inmates have been prepared in such a manner that has probably never been done in any other jail in India.

Who is Dr. Vartika Nanda: Dr. Vartika Nanda is a prison reformer, working to bring change in prison atmosphere through her banner Tinka Tinka. The President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee, conferred the Stree Shakti Puraskar on her in 2014. Her name has also been included in the Limca Book of Records twice for her unique work on prison reforms. Her books Tinka Tinka Tihar, Tinka Tinka Dasna and Tinka Madhya Pradesh are considered to be masterpieces on prison reforms in India. Currently, she teaches in the Department of Journalism, Lady Shri Ram College, Delhi University, India. She is also engaged in doing research on radio in jails.

Contact: tinkatinkaorg@gmail.com / 9811201839