Pulwama : Started in November of 2009 as a joint venture between Islamic University of Science and Technology ( IUST), Awantipora, and a non government organisation( NGO), Panos South Asia, community radio programme Pesh Kadam has crossed many mile stones.
The weekly radio programme weathered the storm of multiple constraints and carved a niche audience for itself.
The community focused programme has completed more than 400 episodes so far.
Ruheela Hassan, Senior Assisstant Professor, Department of Mass Communication and Journalism, IUST, Awantipora, said that the programme is run by the varsity independently since 2013.
She added that Pesh Kadam was broadcast on 102.6 FM of All India Radio Kashmir on evening of every Sunday till 2019.
“These days the episodes are made available on You Tube and the university website only,” she said, adding that sustaining the programme despite so many challenges is a big thing.
She added that three years ago she visited other universities of the country and found Pesh Kadam more rich in content and wider in audience reach.
She said that Pesh Kadam has a campus to community approach. “It covers issues like public health, civic amenities, agriculture, child rights, environment, climate change, culture and history.”The first episode of Pesh Kadam was broadcast on 10 December, 2010.
Initially, students from IUST particularly from Department of Mass Communication and Journalism and volunteers from Awantipora worked together to produce the episodes, officials informed.
The officials added that brain storming sessions would be held in a radio studio set up in the campus for the purpose.
“The episodes were produced in the studio and then broadcast on 102.6 FM of All India Radio Kashmir but latter on community involvement declined substantially,” they said.
The community radio has provided a platform for many who made their name in radio journalism, they added.
Humma Masroor, a 3rd semister student at Department of Mass Communication and Journalism said that she has been contributing to Pesh Kadam.
She said that she worked for producing three episodes in which she hosted one.
“ Pesh Kadam helped me a lot, more than two internships which I did with two different organisations,” she said, adding she learnt story ideation, interviewing skills, team work, script writing and audio editing.
Adeeb, another student from same semister said that students get first hand experience of producing a radio programme by working with recording and editing equipments.
He said that Pesh Kadam helped him in learning how to be presentable with audience through voice.
