International Relations Unit of DG, AIR, handles all matters concerning foreign broadcasting/media organizations relating to All India Radio. Its task-profile includes coordination of the implementation of Cultural Exchange Programmes signed between Govt. of India and the foreign countries relating to the radio broadcasting. Unit also deals with issues relating to mutual cooperation with foreign broadcasting & media organizations, foreign trainings, participation in the international media conferences & meetings held abroad, participation in international radio completions and hosting of in-country workshops in India etc.

Responsibilities

• Matters relating to international relations concerning the Programme Wing of All India Radio.
• Coordination of official foreign tour/deputations of programme officers.
• Participation of AIR’s entries in international radio award competitions organised by CBA, ABU, AIBD, Grand Prix, IRIB mainly.
• SAARC related activities concerning AIR/broadcasting.
• Coordination of radio co-productions with foreign broadcasting organizations.
• Coordination of in-country training workshops in India.
• Membership related matter relating to international media organisations of which AIR is the member. At present AIR is a member of ABU, AMIC, EBU and CBA.
• Coordination of implementation of the clauses/articles concerning AIR of the Cultural Exchange Programmes Agreements (CEPs) signed between the Govt. of India and different countries.

Achievements 2011-12

• AIR as a part of Prasar Bharati actively participated in the successful hosting of the 48^th ABU General Assembly & Associated Meetings by Prasar Bharati from 2^nd to 8^th November, 2011 in New Delhi.

• A programme produced by Shri Biju Mathew, Programme Executive, AIR, Thiruvanthapuram, tiled ‘Autobiography of a Sparrow’ won the 2011 ABU Prize in the Children Programme category. The Prize was presented in the award ceremony held during the 48^th ABU General Assembly held in New Delhi.

• A programme produced by Ms. Meenu Khare, Programme Executive , All India Radio, Gorakhpur, titled ‘Joy-Live’ in Hindi language, bagged the UNICEF’s prestigious global ‘2011 International Children’s Day of Broadcasting (ICDB) Award for Radio’.

• Sh. Biju Mathew, PEX, AIR Thiruvanthapuram and Sh. R. Sudarsan, PEX, AIR, Chennai also won the ABU-Production-Grant in 2011, for producing programmes on ‘Early Warning and Indigenous Knowledge’ for ABU .

• AIR and Radio Netherland Worldwide (RNW) agreed to continue the co-production of radio series on climate related issues titled ‘Earth Beat’, for one more year from 1^st June 2011 to 31^st May, 2012, to broadcast the same from the 20 identified AIR stations spread across the country.

• Mrs. Pushpinder Kaur, Dy. Director (News), NSD, AIR, Delhi, was nominated to participate in the ‘UNESCO-ABU Online Training on Radio Journalism and Production and the Regional Workshop on Radio Programmers’ Network on Sustainable Development’, held from 27-30, June, 2011 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

• AIR organised an ABU/UNESCO/AIR In-country Training Workshop with the support of ABU on Conflict Sensitive Reporting from 13^th to 17^th June, 2011 in New Delhi, in which 21 programme and news personnel participated. Mrs. Bettina Amback, Director, Wayamo Communication Foundation, Germany, was the Course Director.