HANLI – The cheerful song “Jolly” rings out on the airwaves on chilly mornings across the six villages of Hanli, nestled amid towering mountains near the Indo-China border, where community radio station Anlai brings news and entertainment to a remote region deprived of other forms of media.
From weather updates to programs on local culture to the latest Bollywood buzz, CRS, which operates out of a three-room house, is the link for locals to all information about government schemes to new music releases in local languages, Hindi and English.
The 89.6 MHz CRS Anlay was inaugurated in November 2024 under the Indian Army’s ‘Operation Sadbhavana’, with the slogan ‘Jahan Sitare Mile’, and is managed by a staff of four: a station manager, a sound engineer and two horsemen.
“We are four locals who have been working here since the opening of CRS. This station has an important role to play in bridging the gap with the outside world, as all-India radio broadcasting is not good here,” station manager Kunzang Diskit said.
She said the programs include a diverse section, from details on government schemes to weather updates and agriculture-related information.
“We are also focusing on Ladakhi culture and its preservation. We have a very rich heritage. Hanli’s specialties, such as dark sky observation and its monastery, are also highlighted. Important events in the region as well as neighboring parts are also covered,” Kunzang added.
She said the programs of CRS Anlay, which covers a radius of about 10 km and the six villages that make up Hanlay, are mostly in Ladakhi and Hindi, and some in English as well.
“Mostly, the elderly and young people listen to our radio programmes. So, most of the programs are in Ladakhi and Hindi, while the English programs are less, and cater to the needs of tourists,” said Tsering Lamu, who works as radio coordinator at the station.
Dispatch begins at 9 a.m. and continues until 6 p.m., with two RJs sharing the shifts and others also participating, Tsering said.
The first broadcast is from 9am to 11am about motivational talks, weather updates and other important regular information.
The period from 11 am to 1 pm is dedicated to ‘Anlay ki Awaz’, focusing on students and issues related to education and health.
From 1 pm to 3 pm, Ladakhi culture is highlighted, and the day concludes with ‘Evening Bindass’ from 3 pm to 6 pm, which talks about Bollywood and Ladakhi music.
“Everyone is connecting with Bollywood, so the last part is very popular,” Tsering added.
Events occurring in nearby areas are also covered on the ground by Catholic Relief Services and local residents are invited for special talks or performances from time to time, Kunzang said.
CRS is also active on the digital front, having dedicated social media handles as well as a special mobile app, Tsering said.
“The mobile app, available for both Android and Apple phones, provides our curated programming. It also has a comments section, where people can write their comments or even record them in their voice,” added RJ.
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