Look who's visiting DU!

Sex workers, truck drivers and wrestlers are some of the participants at the varsity's radio shows

Why are sex workers, truck union men and wrestlers from Sanjay Basti lining up at DU? It's an unusual medley at the Delhi University Community Radio (DUCR) station, located within the premises of the School of Open Learning (SOL), every week.u00a0 Sharda Kumari, 35, who is a commercial sex worker at GB Road, visited the north campus recently. And no, not for seemingly obvious reasons.

Sharda, along with a candid group of women, enjoying the feel of the campus premises, noisily swarmed the DUCR's white office. They are all inhabitants of GB Road, the red light area of the Capital. These women in stark bright clothes are here as participants of 'Unchhui Zindagi', a weekly programme aired at frequency 90.4.u00a0

On Air
"We are a community radio and the purpose of this is to educate and create awareness of the existing elements society is based on. Our programmes aim to take a close peek into the everyday lives and dreams of those who form an important stratum of society, but are known little of," said Vijay Lakshmi Sinha, Co-ordinating Head, DUCR.u00a0 Sinha, who co-ordinated the programme, said these GB Road red light area residents have a happy life and the majority does not aspire to marriage or stability.u00a0

"After work hours, we usually have a good time chatting and watching TV soaps. I am fond of Amitabh Bachchan, so I enjoy watching him in Kaun Banega Crorepati (KBC) even though I don't understand the show," said an excited Sharda, who is the group leader. The participants revealed their fears, aspirations, long lost dreams, and how it is a different experience for them to be part of a radio show. "Discussing our lives on air is exciting. When we were invited to DUCR office, it was a typical nice celebrity feeling," said one of the participants happily.

Ordinary lives
Their domestic routine is just like any other office goer. They wake up at 7, cook their breakfast, get ready for work and set out at daily destinations. At times with targets to meet. "Evenings are busy but we manage to head out for a movie or local snacks outside with friends. I have found great friends here, we share a strong bond with each other," said another participant.

All ears
Besides these sex workers, the popular radio show has a various communities coming in every week. These include truck union people, roadside vendors from Majnu Ka Tila, wrestling champions from Sanja Basti, railway workers and transgenders.

For student awareness, the thrust area of DUCR 90.4 is to broadcast student centric community based programmes such as health, hygiene, anti smoking, aids, gender sensitization, environment and other issues related to local communities. Also, Phone-in Programmes with the experts on Health, Education, stress management, Environment, interpersonal relationship between parent and children, examination stress etc.

DUCR focuses on creating awareness among the students about various career options, career counseling and broadcasting other socially relevant programmes of campus and colleges such as seminars, workshops, lectures, discussions, debates, cultural functions etc for the student communities.u00a0 Conducting (including academic counseling) interactive programmes for the students enrolled at School of Open Learning, who could not get the opportunities for face to face teaching learning process.

Packed schedule
Since its inception in 2007, the DUCR 90.4 is broadcasting four hours programmes in two segments i.e. in the morning from 7.30 a.m. to 9.30 a.m. and in the evening from 5.00 p.m. to 7.00 p.m. daily. DUCR is very popular among the students and other communities living in and around Delhi University Campus. There is a demand to increase transmission hours and reach of DUCR. Keeping in view DUCR 90.4 is planning to increase the transmission from four hours to eight hours.

The programmes of DUCR 90.4 are available on IIMC Apna Radio 96.9 to enable the students and other community members residing in south Delhi to listen to the programme.u00a0

DUCR 90.4 is also available on the website of School of Open Learning(SOL), https://sol.du.ac.in.