Thiruvananthapuram | Every morning, Naveen, 25, woke up to his mother’s routine -- the soft clatter of pots, the sizzle of breakfast, and "Radio Shree" playing from her phone.
The cheerful jingles, local folk songs, and talk shows about Kerala’s Kudumbashree movement filled their kitchen like a second voice in the house. Without realising it, he started listening too.
A freelance video editor, Naveen is probably one of the few youngsters who listens to the mobile app-based radio channel which was started two years ago on the 25th anniversary of the Kudumbashree, a women empowerment initiative.
Radio Shree's listener base, which is more than 5 lakh, primarily comprises middle-aged women, according to Gayatri who is a radio jockey (RJ) at Radio Shree.
It is now planning to expand its listener base further and has already taken steps in that direction by handing over its operations to the state-run Malayalam Mission from a private agency and introducing a variety of new programmes, Kudumbashree PRO Anchal Krishnakumar said.
Besides running various campaigns to increase its listeners, the radio channel also plans to put in place an editorial body soon to provide more curated content to its audience, he said while speaking to PTI.
The initial aim of the radio channel, based in the state capital, was to provide information about the activities of the state government and the Kudumbashree to the around 48 lakh members of the organisation, he said.
Now, the channel runs a variety of programmes about Kudumbashree and its members. The programmes include news, music, plays, stories, poems, lectures, interviews, audio versions of well-known literary works, and especially the women's empowerment organisation's activities. These programmes are aired on different days of the week.
Gayatri, who hosts some of these programmes, said that the variety in the shows has pulled in more listeners. It also helped her understand more about Kudumbashree and its activities.
"I came to realise, while doing these shows, that it was not just a mere women's organisation where they just sit and talk about things. It is much more than that. It has helped a lot of women to run their families and stand tall in front of society," she told PTI.
Gayatri hosts several shows, spanning 3-4 hours each day, for the radio and it includes speaking to Kudumbashree members about their experiences since joining the organisation and the changes it has brought about in their lives.
Besides that, she does a show about the various art forms exclusive to Kerala, like 'Kathakali', and gives detailed information about the same. Additionally, she also does a show highlighting the achievements of various Kudumbashree entrepreneurs and the products successfully launched by them.
"Most of the women I have spoken to are those who have succeeded in standing on their own feet after joining Kudumbashree. No one has said that they have had a negative experience. As a result, I feel very happy speaking to them as I have only heard positive experiences," she said.
With over 20 years of experience in the field, Gayatri said that working at Radio Shree has been professionally and emotionally satisfying for her.
"The people I interact with on my shows and hearing their experiences have touched my soul. It gives me a very good feeling doing these shows and sharing the experiences of the women who are part of Kudumbashree," she said.
Naveen's mother, Sheeba, a Kudumbashree member, began listening to the radio after a colleague from their village here featured in one of the radio's shows.
"Subsequently, she became a regular listener. She would play the radio on her phone every day from the morning. I began waking up hearing it. Mom bought Bluetooth speakers and connected them to her phone so that everyone at home can hear the shows.
"Everyone at home likes it. I too have now become a regular listener," Naveen told PTI. His favourite programme is the one about the successful products launched by Kudumbashree members.
"That is the one I like," he said.
He said that he has even encouraged his friends to listen to it.
"I have downloaded the Radio Shree app on my mobile phone and listen to it regularly. I also listen to it while driving the car," he added.
The radio, which underwent a revamp and was launched in July this year with new programmes and under a new operations team -- the Malayalam Mission -- is working to increase its listener base, Krishnakumar said.
"The app has been downloaded more than 5 lakh times. We have 48 lakh Kudumbashree members, which we are trying to increase to 50 lakh. We are hoping that there will be a commensurate increase in the listeners of the radio as well," he said.
