Union Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting and Parliamentary Affairs, Dr L. Murugan, honoured 12 outstanding community radio stations with the 10th National Community Radio Awards today in Mumbai, during the 8th National Community Radio Conference. This event was organised by the Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and the Indian Institute of Mass Communication, on the sidelines of the World Audio-Visual and Entertainment Summit – WAVES.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr L. Murugan congratulated the winners and said that the national conference is aimed at strengthening the community media landscape in India through innovation, inclusiveness, and impact. He said that community radio is a tool to reach out to citizens in all corners of the country. He also mentioned that the community radio stations are taking PM Narendra Modi’s vision and important development initiatives of the central government to all parts of the country.

Speaking about the first edition of WAVES 2025, Dr L. Murugan stated that new ideas will evolve from it and that the creative economy is a sunrise sector that will play a major role in the coming days.

The conference brought together representatives from more than 400 Community Radio – CR Stations across the country on one platform to provide an opportunity for dialogue and collaboration. At present, there are 531 CR stations across the country. The conference emphasised the seminal role of community radio in public communication and awareness generation and also their potential in social development.