All India Radio (AIR) won the CBA-UNESCO award for Science Reporting and Programming, for its programme 'The Drop that Counts'. This radio programme is a musical feature for children, who deal with general science of the universe - conservation of water - in a simple style. It was originally produced in Oriya language.
The award was presented to Padmanalochan Das, Programme executive, AIR, at the Commonwealth Broadcasting Awards ceremony held on 25 January 2008 in Nassau, Bahamas. The prize was jointly established by UNESCO and the Commonwealth Broadcasting Association (CBA) two years ago in order to promote science literacy and science communication through media.
It rewards radio and television programmes on science and technology with high production value. The programmes should aim to promote a better public understanding of science and technology as tools for national development. They also should disseminate scientific information in an interesting and engaging manner that would attract the attention of a wide-ranging audience. All India Radio is a national service operated by the Prasar Bharati Broadcasting Corporation of India. If formally began its operations in 1936 with the objective to inform, educate and entertain. AIR today has a network of 229 broadcasting centres and claims that it reaches 99.14% of Indian population.
