| Wednesday's
celebrations have already begun at the Service since 6 am, beginning a day of
special programming. Transmission
has been divided into two hour long shows, each with two anchors and a special
guest who has been connected with the Vividh Bharati some time during the last
50 years. Senior
announcer Mona Thakur who retired some years ago, has already been on air this
morning and will be followed by Lokendra Sharma, a veteran producer who worked
with the Vividh Bharati in the 1960s and was known for his show, Bioscope Ki Baatein.
The
service will also be employing its library, which boasts soundbytes from illustrious
personalities like Sohrab Modi and Nargis to present day celebrities like Shahid
Kapoor to Neha Dhupia. The bytes, coupled with their own memories of Vividh Bharati,
have been condensed into three minute long capsules that will be aired throughout
the day.
Also included in the programming for today is an exclusive half hour
interview with doyen Lata Mangeshkar and a special edition of the popular Jaimala
show, to be presented by veteran broadcaster Ameen Sayani at 2.30 pm.
While
assistant station director Mahendra Modi says plans for the year ahead are still
being drawn up, there are plans to broadcast rare recordings of poets Makhanlal
Chaturvedi and Dinkar as well as those by singers like Mukesh. A special theme
song has been written and composed by the Vividh Bharati staff, which will be
aired by the station today.
The
Vividh Bharati service is currently available across the country on MW, as well
as on short wave in the border areas of Jaisalmer and on FM throughout the country,
as well as on the DTH platform.
| 
