Regional Community Radio Sammelan (South) to be held in Kochi on 7–8 January 2026

New Delhi: The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India, in collaboration with the Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC), New Delhi, will organize the Regional Community Radio Sammelan (South) on 7th and 8th January 2026 in Kochi, Kerala. The Sammelan is being held under the theme “Celebrating 20 Years of Community Radio in India”, marking two decades of community radio as an effective platform for participatory communication, grassroots empowerment and inclusive development.

The two-day regional Sammelan will bring together community radio practitioners and key stakeholders from Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry. It aims to provide a collaborative platform for dialogue, experience sharing and policy-focused discussions to strengthen the community radio ecosystem.

The Inaugural Session on 7th January 2026 will be graced by Dr. Pragya Paliwal Gaur, Vice Chancellor, IIMC, along with Shri L. Madhu Nag, Registrar, IIMC. Senior officials from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, including Smt. Shilpa Rao, Director, and Shri Mahendra Kumar Meena, Under Secretary, will also be present. The Sammelan is being convened by Prof. (Dr.) Sangeeta Pranvendra, with Dr. Jisha K. as the Co-Convener.

Technical sessions will focus on regulatory and operational aspects of community radio. The Wireless Planning and Coordination (WPC) Wing of the Ministry of Telecommunications will conduct a special session on the Saral Sanchar Portal, followed by a session on the Bharat Portal of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.

Experience-sharing sessions will feature community radio stations from southern states, highlighting best practices in content creation, sustainability and engagement with district and state administrations. Sessions by the Central Bureau of Communication (CBC) will focus on empanelment and advertising opportunities, while the Ministry will also cover documentation and study reports related to CRS.

On the second day, a special session on AI, participatory processes and co-learning will be conducted, followed by an Open House discussion. The Sammelan will conclude with a Valedictory Session in the presence of senior officials from IIMC and the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.