Punjab, 26 December 2025

Commonwealth Educational Media Centre for Asia (COL-CEMCA), in collaboration with the Reliance Foundation and Chitkara University, Chitkara Radio, Punjab, organised a Tech-based Demonstration Training for Community Radio Station (CRS) Managers on 26 December 2025, bringing together participants to explore digital tools and platforms aimed at enhancing the impact of community radio stations through technology-enabled content production and dissemination.

Prof. Dr. Ashutosh Mishra, Dean and Director, Chitkara Radio, Chitkara University, Punjab, delivered the welcome address, and Ms. Monica Sharma, COL-CEMCA, set the agenda for the sessions.

Mr. S Senthilkumaran, Program Head at Reliance Foundation, highlighted the importance of implementing technology to boost community radio effectiveness, particularly in rural transformation and addressing information asymmetry among farmers and rural communities.

Dr. B. Shadrach, Director, COL-CEMCA, delivered the special address on “Technology Enabled Futures for Community Radio” and emphasised the potential of AI and technology to enhance community radio programming, drawing parallels to the Green Revolution’s success

The Reliance Foundation Platforms & Applications Team demonstrated content access and dissemination tools, which included:

• Internet Radio Platform, covering aspects such as uploading, playlists, streaming, analytics, and file transfers.
• Orientation on WebKMS, focusing on accessing audio content related to agriculture, livestock, and marine resources in multiple Indian languages.
• IVRS dissemination, featuring a live dial-in demonstration for broadcasting and feedback collection.

The second session comprised demonstrations of various feedback tools, including AhaSlides for conducting polls and quizzes, low-code and no-code survey forms, and IVRS-based recording, transcription, and translation services. Additionally, sessions were conducted on multi-location audio conferencing, featuring live recording, transcription, and broadcast capabilities. The session culminated with a presentation on text-to-audio conversion, wherein scripts are transformed into ready-to-broadcast audio content.

The training concluded with plans for continued support and guidance for community radio stations in content creation, YouTube channel management, and AI tool usage. The initiative aims to enhance community radio stations through technology-enabled learning and practical training, ultimately extending their impact and reach.

Building upon this, a collaborative two-day practical training session with Reliance Foundation and Chitkara University is planned in the coming months, involving 40-50 participants.