Romancing the radio: Journey through sound and memories

In a world torn by the stress of war and violence, I find myself, on occasion, craving something slightly different when I turn on the news. Not even your usual feel-good stories of the rare good Samaritan or the rags-to-riches tale of a humble person who made it big, or even some sporting or business success story. Their very predictability makes them boring.

What I seek is something unusual that brings a smile to my face.

That is how I came across Ram Singh Bouddha, the radio man from Gajraula, a sugar town in the Amroha district of Uttar Pradesh. He made it into the Guinness World Records earlier this month for an unusual feat: he has the largest collection of radios in the world, 1,257 of them to be precise. In fact, he has even more — around 1,400 — but the duplicates don’t count.

Ram Singh, who is sixty-eight years old, comes from a time when there was no television, let alone the internet. Since I, too, though younger than him, come from that era, I have distinct recollections of how the radio occupied pride of place in the living rooms of most middle-class families.

It was placed in a beautifully embellished and polished showcase, alongside other precious objects and knick-knacks for display. It was wrapped in a red muslin or silk cover and unveiled when the evening news or “Binaca Geet Mala,” a popular radio show, aired.

 

Golden age of broadcasting

Much of the neighbourhood, given that most couldn’t afford radios, gathered around in hushed silence as the knobs were turned to ensure a fine tune. The set would crackle and hiss before the familiar voice came on: “This is All India Radio. The news read by …” or “This is Binaca Geet Mala with your host, Ameen Sayani.”

Binaca, incidentally, was the name of a toothpaste that sponsored the show, which no longer exists. Neither it, nor the show, exits today. What is interesting is that this programme, featuring hits from Hindi movies, was aired from Radio Ceylon (now Sri Lanka). This meant that it was on short-wave, not medium wave.

Receiving short-wave transmissions required more sophisticated transistors than just medium wave. Radio owners would have to adjust their antennas from time to time, placing them on their rooftops or in strategic places on their balconies.

Believe it or not, radio owners needed a licence, which had to be renewed monthly by visiting an office and paying a fee. Your dues and receipts would be recorded in a little government-issued diary. I remember thinking how ridiculous this was in a free country. But just knowing what was going on in the world could be dangerous. Accurate information, even today in a media-saturated world, commands a premium. News is not only money; it is power.

The favourite make — quite a prestigious symbol — when I was growing up was the German-made Grundig. This was long before the Japanese or, later, the Chinese took over the electronics business. The Grundig was a large and expensive radio set, with shining dials and a screen that lit up.

A prized possession, I know many families who saved for months to be able to own one. There were well-known Indian models too — for example, Murphy and Bush. But those who owned a Grundig or a Telefunken looked down on those who had a Murphy or a Bush.

Ram Singh’s passion for radios began when he was a young man. In his interviews, he has reminisced that his one regret during his youth was that he did not receive a radio as part of his dowry when he was married! Now he has more than adequately made up for that lack.

Major radio-related moment

Another significant radio-related moment was when, last April, Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighted his collection in his popular radio broadcast, “Mann ki Baat.” Ram Singh even received an invitation to attend the Republic Day parade and celebrations in January this year because of his unique achievement.

Ram Singh, who worked in the Central Warehouse Corporation, is eagerly looking forward to the plaque and memento from Guinness World Records. He spent lakhs of rupees of his own hard-earned money collecting radios from junk dealers, or what are known as “kabadi wallas.” He roamed the back alleys of Delhi and Meerut looking for receiver sets, whether functional or dead. His oldest dates back to 1920 and is very rare today.

Ram Singh’s dream is to start a radio museum in his hometown. I think this is a splendid idea that the Uttar Pradesh government should encourage. The museum would be one of a kind and attract radio lovers and ordinary tourists from far and wide.

He says, “I hope my efforts to build a museum will help future generations learn about the impact of radio on our society, from its early days as a communication tool to its modern forms.” I am told that the Amroha District Magistrate is “looking into” his request, which was routed through “proper channels.”

India’s passion for radios, which PM Modi has revived, is not accidental, nor is Ram Singh singular in his zeal for collecting them. I discovered that the previous record holder for the largest number of radios in the world was one M. Prakash. In 2005, he owned 625 distinct sets. Ram Singh, by more than doubling that record, deserves our attention and praise.