MB#56: 𝙒𝙞𝙩𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝘽𝙖𝙘𝙠-𝙀𝙣𝙙 𝙒𝙤𝙧𝙠 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙖 30-𝙈𝙞𝙣𝙪𝙩𝙚 𝙍𝙖𝙙𝙞𝙤 𝙎𝙝𝙤𝙬 𝙖𝙩 𝘼𝙄𝙍 𝙎𝙩𝙪𝙙𝙞𝙤𝙨.

[MemoirBlogthon #56] My time at AIR elevated me to a minor celebrity status, especially during the Krishna Pushkaralu festival in 1980. While I was on live duty, groups of listeners, having obtained entry passes, streamed through the announcer's cabin, watching me broadcast—a surreal experience that left many surprised. But the truest validation came earlier: I gave my father and a visiting IIT Professor a rare guided tour of the studios, explaining the complex logistics of the control room, the dubbing machines, and the library. Watching the back-end work, my father proudly told me: "You mastered the broadcasting skills... you are learning from scratch to the stage of competency."

MB#56: The Radio Live Duty That Transformed Me into a Star During the 1980 Festival.

The Guided Tour and the Engineer’s Appreciation

On one memorable occasion, my father, accompanied by our relative, Sri Denduluri Venkateswarlu Garu (a professor at IIT, Chennai), requested a guided tour of the AIR studios. I readily obtained permission from the duty officer and proudly led them through the complex.

I had to give strict instructions: leave footwear outside, maintain silence, and speak in a low voice to avoid leakage near the live studio and the engineering control room, the nerve center for relays and broadcast quality. I showed them the engineering coordination systems, the Big Clock adjusted to the BBC base time, and the vast Library—a repository of tapes and records. Finally, they saw the dubbing studio with its three large machines used for editing.

My father and his guest were astonished at the sheer amount of background work required for just a 30-minute broadcast. It was then that my father offered profound appreciation: "You mastered the broadcasting skills, definitely helpful in your career because you are learning from scratch to the stage of competency."

The Pushkaralu Celebrity

The Krishna Pushkaralu festival (September 29 to October 10, 1980), held every 12 years to honor the sacred Krishna River, provided an unexpected stage for my celebrity status. Lakhs of devotees gathered in Vijayawada for holy dips and visits to the Kanakadurga Temple.

A major attraction was the Industrial Exhibition at PWD grounds, and by 5:50 p.m., listeners would line up outside the AIR studios, hoping to get an entry pass to see the live programs. During my week of live duty (a schedule perhaps specifically chosen by the AIR administration), about five groups of ten people, accompanied by a security guard, were permitted to enter the announcer cabin. It was an exhilarating experience to feel the listeners' surprised gaze as I broadcast live from the main studio.

Even more gratifying were the people who waited outside for me after my shift. They would seek 'autographs' (as selfies were non-existent then), chat, and enthusiastically appreciate my voice and presentation style. I truly felt like a celebrity, surrounded by young people who were thrilled to see the face behind the voice they cherished.

MB#56 Quiz

MB56: Question: During the Krishna Pushkaralu festival in 1980, what unique interaction did the author have with listeners at the studio gate?

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• A. Listeners brought him gifts of sweets and fruits.
• B. Listeners took his autograph and chatted with him.
• C. Listeners submitted live on-air questions for him.
• D. Listeners organized a spontaneous public event outside.

MB#56: Quote

"A good reputation is more valuable than money." Publilius Syrus