Doordarshan (Hindi: दूरदर्शन; literally Distant Show) is an Indian public service broadcaster, a division of Prasar Bharati. It is one of the largest broadcasting organizations in India in terms of the infrastructure of studios and transmitters. Recently, it has also started Digital Terrestrial Transmitters. On September 15, 2009, Doordarshan celebrated its 50th anniversary. The DD provides television, radio, online and mobile services throughout metropolitan and regional India, as well as overseas through the Indian Network and Radio India.

Beginning[link]

Doordarshan had a modest beginning with the experimental telecast starting in Delhi on 15 September 1959 with a small transmitter and a makeshift studio. The regular daily transmission started in 1965 as a part of All India Radio. The television service was extended to Bombay (now Mumbai) and Amritsar in 1972. Up until 1975, only seven Indian cities had a television service and Doordarshan remained the sole provider of television in India. Television services were separated from radio in April 1 1976.^[1] Each office of All India Radio and Doordarshan were placed under the management of two separate Director Generals in New Delhi. Finally, in 1982, Doordarshan as a National Broadcaster came into existence.

Nationwide transmission[link]

National telecasts were introduced in 1982. In the same year, colour TV was introduced in the Indian market with the live telecast of the Independence Day speech by then prime minister Indira Gandhi on 15 August 1982, followed by the 1982 Asian Games which were held in Delhi. Now more than 90 percent of the Indian population can receive Doordarshan (DD National) programmes through a network of nearly 1,400 terrestrial transmitters. There are about 46 Doordarshan studios producing TV programmes today.

Early national programming[link]

The 80s were noted for Hum Log (1984), Buniyaad (1986–87) and comedy shows like Yeh Jo Hai Zindagi (1984).

• Hum Log, Buniyaad, and Nukkad along with mythological dramas such as Ramayan (1987–88) and Mahabharat (1989–90), Shaktimaan, India's First Superhero, glued millions to Doordarshan as did shows such as Bharat Ek Khoj, The Sword of Tipu Sultan and The Great Maratha.
• Hindi film songs based programmes like Chitrahaar, Rangoli, Ek Se Badkar Ek and Superhit Muqabla.
• Crime thrillers like Barrister Vinod (starring Parikshit Sahni), Karamchand (starring Pankaj Kapoor), Aparadhi Kaun, PC 1008 (starring Kanwaljeet), Police File Se, Byomkesh Bakshi (starring Rajit Kapoor), Reporter (Shekhar Suman), Tehkikaat and Janki Jasoos, Suraag (starring Sudesh Berry).
• Shows targeted at children include Faerie Tale Theatre, Dada Dadi ki Kahaniyan, Vikram Betaal, Space City Sigma, Stone Boy, Malgudi Days, Tenali Rama, Potli Baba Ki (puppet show), He-Man, Superhuman Samurai Cyber Squad, Knight Rider, Teletubbies, Street Hawk and a horror serial Kile ka Rahasya (1989).
• Other popular shows include Oshin a Japanese drama series, Trishna, Mr. Yogi, Neem Ka Ped, Circus, Fauji (launching Shahrukh Khan), Rani Laxhmibai, Dastan-E-Hatim Tai, Alif Laila, Gul Gulshan Gulfam, Udaan, Rajani, Talaash, Phir Wohi Talash, Katha Saagar, Nupur, Mirza Ghalib, Wagle ki Duniya, Phulvanti, Sangharsh, Lifeline^{[disambiguation needed ]}, Kashish (launching Malvika Tiwari), Srimaan Srimati, Tu Tu Mein Mein, Junoon, Ajnabi (starring Danny Denzongpa), Zabaan Sambhal Ke, Dekh Bhai Dekh, Sansaar, Swabhimaan, Chanakya, Shanti (launching Mandira Bedi), Sea Hawks (starring R. Madhavan), Surabhi, Tana Bana, Mujrim Hazir (launching Navni Parihar), Jaspal Bhatti's Flop Show, Meri Awaaz Suno, Captain Vyom, and Chandrakanta and Tootne Ke Baad (TV Serial by Paigham Afaqui)
• Not many remember but Doordarshan used to have serials before sponsored programmes came into existence. Serials like Dadi Maa Jagi, Bibi Natiyonwali, Aur Bhi Ghum Hai Zamane Mein, and Laddoo Singh Taxi Wala (starring Paintal) were also popular.
• Sarab Sanji Gurbani was the first sponsored programme on Doordarshan, sponsored by Texla TV.
• Doordarshan also telecast English cartoons at 12.00 noon during summer vacations in a programme named "Fun Time" which showed cartoons like Spider-Man, Giant Robo, Gayab Aaya, Guchhae, He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, Jungle Book Shonen Mowgli (a dubbed Hindi version of a Japanese anime with original music composed by Vishal Bharadwaj), Talespin & Duck Tales also the comic plays of Charlie Chaplin, Laurel & Hardy and Didi's Comedy Show.
• Among the earliest documentary films produced by Doordarshan in Delhi are The Peacock Calls [Mor Machay Shor] (1968), TRS-FRS (1968), The Floods May Come and Go (1969), and University Girls (1971).^[2]
• Some of the Transtel-Cologne shows that were popularly played on Doordarshan include, Telematch, The Old Fox, Derrick, and Scene of Crime. Doordarshan also played NBC's Knight Rider starring David Hasselhoff and ABC's Street Hawk as part of its Sunday afternoon broadcast during the mid- and late 80s.
• Doordarshan brought to the Indian viewers geographical documentaries made by the great marine explorer Jacques Cousteau (Secrets of the Sea) and the British naturalist David Attenborough (The Living Planet)
• Ekta Kapoor's Kayamat, Ithihaas and many other shows from Balaji Telefilms were broadcast on this channel.

• Premnath Shetty"s (koshish) forthcomming Serial.

Channels[link]

Presently, Doordarshan operates 21 channels – two All India channels - DD National and DD News, 11 Regional language Satellite Channels (RLSC), four State Networks (SN), an International channel, a Sports Channel DD Sports and two channels Rajya Sabha TV & DD-Lok Sabha for live broadcast of parliamentary proceedings.

On DD National (DD-1), Regional programmes and Local Programmes are carried on time-sharing basis. DD News channel, launched on 3 November 2003, which replaced the DD Metro (DD-2) Entertainment channel, provides 24-Hour news service.

The Regional Languages Satellite channels have two components – The Regional service for the particular state relayed by all terrestrial transmitters in the state and additional programmes in the Regional Language in prime time and non-prime time available only through cable operators. DD-Sports Channel is exclusively devoted to the broadcasting of sporting events of national and international importance. This is the only Sports Channels which telecasts rural sports like Kho-Kho, Kabbadi etc. something which private broadcasters will not attempt to telecast as it will not attract any revenues.

List of Channels[link]

National[link]

1. DD Bharati
2. DD HD
3. DD India
4. DD National
5. DD News
6. DD Sports
7. DD Urdu
8. Gyan Darshan 1
9. Gyan Darshan 2
10. Gyan Darshan 3 (Eklavya Technology Channel)
11. Gyan Darshan 4 (VYAS Channel)
12. Lok Sabha TV
13. Rajya Sabha TV

Regional[link]

1. DD Andaman and Nicobar Islands
2. DD Saptagiri
3. DD Arunachal Pradesh
4. DD Assam
5. DD Bangla
6. DD Bihar
7. DD Chandana
8. DD Chandigarh
9. DD Chhattisgarh
10. DD Delhi
11. DD Dehradun
12. DD Girnar
13. DD GOA
14. DD Gujarati
15. DD Haryana
16. DD Himachal Pradesh
17. DD Hissar
18. DD Jaipur
19. DD Jammu
20. DD Jharkhand
21. DD Karnataka
22. DD Kerala
23. DD Kashir
24. DD Madhya Pradesh
25. DD Maharashtra
26. DD Malayalam
27. DD Manipur
28. DD Mizoram
29. DD Nagaland
30. DD North-East
31. DD Oriya
32. DD Podhigai
33. DD Port Blair
34. DD Punjab
35. DD Pondicherry
36. DD Raipur
37. DD Sikkim
38. DD Sahyadri
39. DD Tamil Nadu Now DD Chennai
40. DD Uttarakhand
41. DD Uttar Pradesh

South asia international[link]

1. DD Nepal
2. DD Sri lanka
3. DD Bhutan
4. DD Burma

Active Doordarshan[link]

It is an Interactive Service of Tata Sky to show 4 TV Channels of Doordarshan which are not available on Tata sky as normal channels. Active Doordarshan channels are DD Kashir, DD Podhigai, DD Punjabi, DD Sahyadri, DD Chandana and DD Gujarati.

DD has its own DTH service called DD Direct Plus. It is free of charge.

International broadcasting[link]

DD India is broadcast internationally via satellite. It is available in 146 countries worldwide, however information on receiving this channel in other countries is not easily available. In the UK, DD-India was available through the Eurobird Satellite on the Sky system on Channel 833 (the logo is shown as Rayat TV). The timing and programming of DD-India international is different from that of India. Transmissions via Sky Digital (UK & Ireland) ceased in June 2008 and those via DirecTV in the United States in July 2008.

Criticisms[link]

Allegations of bias[link]

• Doorsharshan does not have an independent editorial control unlike the BBC. Prasar Bharati, its parent body has all board members appointed by the Government of India acting through the Information and Broadcasting Ministry. This control is evident in a budget that allows expenditure on "propaganda and public relations".^[3]
• It has been actively used especially during the Emergency for government propaganda.^[4]
• In 2004, it censored the airing of a controversial documentary on Jayaprakash Narayan, one of the opposition leaders during the Emergency.^[5]
• In response to Pakistani propaganda in the Kashmir valley, Doordarshan launched the Kashmir Channel in Kashmir to counter this propaganda. DD Kashmir includes programmes focussing on Kashmiri culture and traditions and the history of Kashmir valley.^[6][7] One programme on Kashmir featured was Budhshah, which told the life of the historical Sultan Zain-ul-Abidin.^[8]
• It has in association with All India Radio established high power transmitters along the India-Pakistan Border to counter Pakistani propaganda.^[9]
• During Operation Bluestar, only government sources were used for reporting the story. Here Doordarshan was complicit in the production of a video that claimed acts of violence which when investigated by independent journalists were found to be false.^[10]

Commercial viability[link]

• Once private television channels were allowed in 1991, Doordarshan has seen a steep decline in viewership in homes with Cable and Satellite Television which in 2002 was just at 2.38% for DD National.^[11]
• While it earns significant advertising revenue due to the compulsory feed given to it by the highest bidder to national events including cricket tournaments,^[11] there has been a proposal to give it funds by imposing a license fee to own a television in India like the BBC.^[12] However this is unlikely to be imposed keeping in view the financial constraints of the average Indian

See also[link]

• List of programs broadcast by DD National
• All India Radio
• Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (India)
• DD Direct Plus
• Doordarshan Offical facebook Page

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Doordarshan

• Doordarshan Official Internet site
• Doordarshan news site
• An article at PFC
• Remembering the unforgettable Doordarshan Serials of the last century.

v t e Terrestrial television channels of India Doordarshan DD Bangla  · DD Bharati  · DD Bihar  · DD Chandana  · DD CHENNAI  · DD Chhattisgarh  · DD Gujarati  · DD Haryana  · DD Himachal Pradesh  · DD India  · DD Jharkhand  · DD Kashir  · DD Madhya Pradesh  · DD Madurai  · DD Malayalam  · DD Mizoram  · DD National  · DD News  · DD North-East  · DD Oriya  · DD Pondicherry  · DD Punjabi  · DD Rajasthan  · DD Sahyadri  · DD Saptagiri  · DD Sports  · DD Tripura  · DD Urdu  · DD Uttar Pradesh  · DD Uttrakhand  · Podhigai TV

This biographical article needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately, especially if potentially libelous or harmful. (January 2012)

Gurdas Maan ਗੁਰਦਾਸ ਮਾਨ
Gurdas Mann at Divya Dutta's mom Nalini's book launch
Background information
Born	(1957-01-04) 4 January 1957 (age 55) Giddarbaha, Sri Muktsar Sahib, East Punjab (India)
Genres	Folk Bhangra
Occupations	Singer-songwriter Actor Musician
Years active	1980 – present
Website	http://www.gurdasmaan.com

Gurdas Maan (Punjabi: ਗੁਰਦਾਸ ਮਾਨ) is an Punjabi singer, songwriter, choreographer, and actor. He is considered one of the most notable figures in the world of Punjabi music. He was born in Giddarbaha village of Indian Punjab and gained national attention in 1980 with the song "Dil Da Mamla Hai." Since then, he has gone on to record over 34 albums and has written over 300 songs.

Early life[link]

Maan was formally educated in D.A.V College Malout Punjab.^{[citation needed]} After completing his education there, his parents enrolled him in a further education institute in Patiala.^{[citation needed]} As a keen sports enthusiast Maan was fascinated by the National Institute of Sports in the city; this prompted him to join the N.I.S. and gain a Masters degree in physical education.^{[citation needed]}

He took part in youth festivals organized by universities and won several awards for his singing and acting, always supported by his friends. He competed in many athletic events and won medals including a bronze at the National Championship as well as achieving a black belt in judo.^[1]

Career[link]

1980s[link]

In one of his stage plays, he performed a song he had written called "Dil Da Mamla Hai." The play was seen by a producer for Doordarshan Kendra Jalandhar, the producer who thought the song to have potential approached Maan with a proposition for a TV performance of the song to which Maan agreed. When the song was aired on 31 December 1980 it gained national attention and Gurdas Maan became a national figure. The success of the song attracted the attention of HMV who wanted to record and release it. With HMV Maan eventually released his debut album a year later in 1981. When Maan began his career as a solo performer in India, the music industry was dominated by duet artists and he reportedly declined many offers to become part of a duet as he wished to perform and become a successful solo artist. The film that Gurdas Mann starred in "Mamla Garbar Hai" was directed by Hari Dutt.

During his early career he also wrote and directed TV programs such as POP Time for the Doordarshan Network in Delhi.

1990s and 2000s[link]

Gurdas Maan is often credited with raising Punjabi folk music from a regional level mostly in the Punjab to gain international recognition. His album Apna Punjab won Best Album at the 1998 Asian Pop and Media Awards held in Birmingham. Maan won Best Song for the title track and Best International Artist the same year. In addition to these awards, Maan more recently won three music awards of Best Lyrics ("Kudiye")Best Song ("Heer"), as well as Best Singer of the Year at the ETC Channel Punjabi Music Awards on 6 March 2005.(Ravinder)

Awards and honours[link]

Gurdas Maan received an honorary degree of Doctor of Music from the University of Wolverhampton on 7 Sept 2010.^[2] Maan performed at the Royal Albert Hall for two nights in April 2011 as part of his UK tour. This was the first time Maan performed at the Royal Albert Hall, an opportunity that very few artists come across.

On other fronts, Maan has starred in blockbuster Bollywood films and has received numerous awards, including the Jury’s Award, presented to him by the president of India in 2005.

In 2009 he won "Best International Album" at the UK Asian Music Awards for Boot Polishan.^[3]

In 2007 he won the National Film Award for Best Male Playback Singer for his song titled "Couplets of Heer" for the movie Waris Shah: Ishq Daa Waaris.

In 2011 PTC Punjabi Film Awards, He won Critics Award for Best Actor in a Movie - Sukhmani.^[4] In 2012 he was honored by a special prize Kohinoor of Punjab by PTC network.

Film[link]

Gurdas Maan is best known as an actor for his performances in two films: Waris Shah-Ishq Da Waaris (2006), which was nominated as India's selection for the Academy Awards, and Shaheed-E-Mohabbat (1999), the film which tells the real-life story of Boota Singh.

Gurdas appeared in the hit film Shaheed Udham Singh (2000), in which he played the role of Bhagat Singh, a revolutionary, with no prejudices based on religion, caste or creed. As a singer Maan has worked with music directors such as Laxmikant Pyarelal, Bappi Lahiri, Anu Malik, Nadeem Sharvan, Amar Haidipur, Charanjeet Ahuja, and Jaswant Bhanyra.

He starred alongside Juhi Chawla in the epic Des Hoyaa Pardes (2004), an emotional film illustrating the tragedies faced by the people of Punjab in the 1980s. He adopted the role of a son of a well-respected Jatt (bilingual separatist) Gurdev Singh Somal. He falls in love with a high-ranking police officer’s daughter. Before the wedding, the father is murdered by separatists. This tale soon twists in to the inevitable demise of Gurshaan (Gurdas Maan). This movie was based on actual events.

Aside from singing in Punjabi, he is fluent in Hindi, Bengali, Tamil, Haryanvi and Rajasthani. As an actor he has performed in Punjabi, Hindi and Tamil movies, but he is best known for his starring role in Waris Shah-Ishq Da Waaris, a depiction of the Punjabi poet Waris Shah during the creation of his epic poem Heer Ranjha, again co-starring Juhi Chawla and Divya Dutta.Waris Shah-Ishq Da Waaris was also the first Punjabi movie which was nominated for OSCAR Awards 2006. He made a special appearance in Veer-Zaara with Shahrukh Khan and Preity Zinta.

He has appeared in Ucha Dar Babe Nanak Da (1982), Mamla Garbar Hai (1984), Long Da Lishkara (1986), Qurbani Jatt Di (1990), Pratigya (1990), Roohani Taaqat (1991), Saali Adhi Ghar Waali (1992), Wanted: Gurdas Maan Dead or Alive (1994), Kachehri (1994), and Zindagi Khoobsoorat Hai (2002).

Personal life[link]

Maan is married to Manjit and has one son Gurikk who has done his schooling at Yadavindra Public School and Mayo College. He also studied at Eton College. His brothers name is Paramjit Bahia^[1]

In Kundli, Sonepat, Haryana, India on 20 January 2007 Maan was involved in a car accident in which his Range Rover was hit and severely damaged by a truck. Maan escaped with minor injuries on his face, hands and chest. His driver Ganesh was injured seriously but recovered soon after.

This was the second car accident of two that Gurdas Maan was involved in. The first accident was a head-on collision between Maan's vehicle and a truck on 9 January 2001 at a village near Rupnagar, Punjab. In this accident Maan's driver Tejpal was killed. Maan later admitted that his driver asked him to wear his seat belt minutes before the accident. Maan believes that if it had not been for his driver's advice, he would have been dead as well. Later he wrote and performed a song "Baithi sade naal savari utter gayi" dedicated to his driver, who was also his good friend.

During a radio interview Maan revealed to the host, Gagan Grewal, that he is an avid supporter of Liverpool football club.^[5]

Gurdas Maan Started his career as a Employee of Punjab State Electricity Board.

Discography[link]

• 2011: Jogiya (Sai Productions/T-Series/UK BOX OFFICE)
• 2008: Boot Polishan (Sai Creations/UK BOX OFFICE)
• 2005: Vilayatan (T-Series/MovieBox)
• 2004: Heer (T-Series)
• 2003: Punjeeri (T-Series/MovieBox/Music Waves)
• 2001: Pyar Kar Lai (Tips)
• 1999: Jaadugarian (Venus)
• 1998: Dil Hona Chahida Jawaan (Venus)
• 1997: Yaar Mera Pyar (T-Series)
• 1996: Chaklo Chaklo (T-Series)
• 1995: Ishq Na Dekhe Zaat
• 1994: Aaja Sajna
• 1994: Ishq Da Giddha (Tips)
• 1993: Ghar Bhulgi Morh Te Ake
• 1993: Than Than Gopal (RMI)
• 1993: Aakarh Aa Hi Jaandi-E'(Music Bank)
• 1992: Larh Geya Pecha
• 1991: Dil Da Badshah
• 1990: Mohabbat Zindabad
• 1989: Akhiyaan Udeek Dian
• 1988* Raat Suhani'
• 1988: Chugliyaan
• 1988: Wah Ni Jawaniye
• 1987: Geetan Bhari Patari
• 1986: Nacho Babeyo
• 1985: Kurian Ne Judo Sikh Lai
• 1984: Chakkar'
• 1984: Peer Tere Jaan Di
• 1983: Masti
• 1982: Dil Saaf Hona Chahida
• 1982: Disco Vichari
• 1981: Dil Da Mamla Hai

Filmography[link]

• 2013: Punjabiye Zubaney
• 2012: Mitro - Mitro
• 2010: Jaat Haryana ka, Chak Jawana
• 2010: Sukhmani Hope for life (Best Actor - Critic Award PTC Punjabi film Awards 2011.^[4])
• 2009: Mini Punjab (Speed OXL Films)
• 2008: Yaariyan (Universal)
• 2007: Mummy-Ji (special appearance) (Universal)
• 2006: Waris Shah-Ishq Da Waaris (MovieBox)
• 2004: Des Hoyaa Pardes (Universal)
• 2004: Veer Zaara (special appearance)(Yash Raj Films)
• 2002: Zindagi Khoobsoorat Hai
• 2000: Shaheed Udham Singh (MovieBox) ...Shaheed Bhagat Singh
• 1999: Shaheed-E-Mohabbat ...Boota Singh
• 1999 Sirf Tum (special appearance)
• 1995: Subedaar
• 1995: Bagawat ...Gurjeet
• 1994: Kachehri..Gurdas/Ajit
• 1994: Wanted: Gurdas Maan Dead or Alive
• 1992: Saali Adhi Ghar Waali
• 1991: Roohani Taaqat
• 1990: Pratigya ...Billa
• 1990: Qurbani Jatt Di ...Karma
• 1990: Dushmani Di Aag
• 1988: Baghavaat
• 1987: Chhora Haryana Da
• 1986: Ki Banu Duniyan Da
• 1986: Gabhroo Punjab Da ...Shera
• 1986: Laung Da Lashkara
• 1985: Patthar Dil
• 1985: Ucha Dar Babe Nanak Da
• 1984: Mamla Garbar Hai

References[link]