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In India, as early as August 1921, The Times of India in collaboration with the post and Telegraph Department broadcasted a Special programme from its Bombay office. This was at the request of Sir George Llyod, Governor who listened to the programme in Pune. The first radio programme in India was broadcast by the Radio club of Bombay in June 1923 it was followed by the setting up of a broadcasting service that began broadcasting in India in June 1927 on an experimental basis at Bombay and Calcutta simultaneously under all agreement between Government of India and a private company called the Indian Broadcasting Company Limited. After that the development of broadcasting in India proceeded with many ups and downs and in climate of much uncertainty.
Between 1930 and 1935 Indian broadcasting was in the doldrums. Financial stringency kept the services at a very low level. During this period two important steps were taken to make the services self –supporting. By the Indian tariff (Wireless Broadcasting) Amendment Act of 1932, the duty on wireless receiving apparatus was doubled and fixed at 50 percent. In the following year the Indian Wireless Telegraphy Act came into being which made the possession of a radio set without a license is an offence.
Since 1936 the Government of Indian’s monopoly broadcasting organization has been known as All Indio (AIR). AIR is registered as such in the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU) and in the Commonwealth Broadcasting Association (CBA). The alternative name mainly used within India is Akashvani (literally cosmic voice).
In 1937 AIR was transferred from the Ministry of Labour and Industries to the Department of Communications, and in 1941 to a new department of information and Broadcasting which after Independence became a Ministry in 1947.
The basic structure for the AIR network devised by Fielden and Kirke, as modified by Goyder, was to set up medium – wave radio stations at some  principal centres which would provide a good ground wave signal within a reasonable radius. The central station at Delhi would additionally be provided with short-wave transmitters, there by linking it with the other stations. Short-wave transmitters would be established at Bombay, Calcutta and Madras to give second grade service to remoter areas. Basically this ground plan has survived over the forty odd years since it was conceived. In the years immediately following, six new stations including Madras came on the air. In the states ruled by Indian princes, stations were also set up at Baroda, Mysore and Trivandrum, Hyderabad and Aurangabad.
When India became independent the AIR network had only six stations located at Delhi, Bombay, Calcutta, Madras, Lucknow and tiruchirapalli with a total complement of 18 transmitters. Six on the medium wave and the rest on short wave was confined to urban limits of these cities. As against a mere 2,75,000 receiving sets at the time of independence, today there me about! 80 million estimated radio sets in the country. Now the broadcast scenario has drastically changed with 177 broadcasting centres, including 65 local radio stations, covering nearly cent percent country's population.
After Independence, Indian radio was regarded as a vital medium of networking and communication, mainly because of the lack of any other mediums. All the major national affairs and social events were transmitted through radio. Indian radio played a significant role in social integration of the entire nation. All India Radio mainly focused on development of a national consciousness as well as over all National integration. Programming was organised and created keeping in mind the solitary purpose of national political integration. This supported in prevailing over the imperative crisis of political instability, which was created after the Independence. Thus political enhancement and progressive nation building efforts were aided by the transmission of planned broadcasts.
Until now AIR has been fully owned, Controlled and run by the central government but now with the implementation of Prasar Bharti bill all India radio will operate independently having different nature of control by the government. Before 1976, television constituted a part of the All India Radio. After that, it was separated from AIR and constituted into a new body and under a new banner Doordarshan. Now All India Radio is also called in the name of Akashvani like television is called Doordarshan. Radio is one of the media units of the Ministry of Information and broadcasting.
The important point to be noted is that while AIR made a substantial contribution to the popularisation of Indian classical music and light-classical music, brought literature in various Indian languages to the people's doorsteps and promoted an Indian consciousness and national unity, it has remained a state monopoly. There has never been a radio station in India other than an AIR station since independence. AIR was the one and only radio medium.
The phenomenal growth achieved by All India Radio through decades has made it one of the largest media organizations in the world.
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