📋 Tender Overview
Key Takeaways
Indias television network connects 900 million viewers across 230 million households nationwide.
918 private satellite channels operational as of March 2025, reflecting a vibrant broadcast ecosystem.
6.5 crore DD Free Dish homes, driving digital inclusion and free public access nationwide.
Introduction
World Television Day is observed globally on 21 November each year, following the proclamation of the United Nations General Assembly through a Resolution adopted in 1996. The Day recognizes television as a vital medium in informing, educating, and influencing public opinion, and in fostering communication and global understanding.
In India, where over 230 million television households reach around 900 million viewers, the Day is observed under the aegis of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) and its public broadcasting network, Prasar Bharati. Activities and outreach programmes by Doordarshan and All India Radio highlight televisions enduring role in public service communication, dissemination of development messages, and promotion of national integration.
Television continues to serve as one of the most powerful platforms for information and entertainment outreach in India, connecting millions of households and contributing significantly to the objectives of public awareness and participatory governance.
Did you know?
Indias Media & Entertainment (M&E) sector contributed Rs2.5 trillion to the economy in 2024 and is projected to exceed Rs3 trillion by 2027. The television and broadcasting segment alone generated nearly Rs680 billion in 2024. The sectors growth is driven by digital expansion, 4K broadcasting, Smart TVs, 5G, and OTT platforms serving over 600 million users.
Growth of television in India
Television in India has evolved from a limited experimental service to one of the worlds largest broadcasting networks, reflecting the countrys progress in communication technology, public outreach, and digital innovation. Guided by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Indias television journey mirrors the nations socio-economic development--from community education broadcasts in the 1950s to a fully digitised, multi-channel environment today. The following phases trace this transformation, highlighting key policy milestones and technological advancements documented in official records.
Experimental and Foundational Phase (1959-1965)
Television broadcasting in India began on an experimental basis on 15 September 1959, initiated by All India Radio (AIR) under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB). The service was launched in collaboration with UNESCO to explore televisions role in education and community development. Initially, broadcasts were limited to a small radius around Delhi, with programmes focusing on school education and rural upliftment.
Expansion and Institutionalisation (1965-1982)
Regular daily transmission began in 1965, marking the establishment of Doordarshan as a dedicated television service within All India Radio (AIR). During this period, television rapidly transitioned from a limited experiment into a growing public service medium. New television centres were set up across major cities, including Mumbai (1972), Srinagar, Amritsar, and Calcutta (1973-75), and Chennai (1975), expanding coverage and strengthening the national broadcast infrastructure. Doordarshan emerged as one of the key aspects in the broadcasting landscape in India, reflecting the rapid expansion of television as a national medium during this period.
A landmark development of this era was the Satellite Instructional Television Experiment (SITE) conducted in 1975-76 by ISRO and NASA, one of the worlds largest satellite-based education experiments. Under SITE, NASAs ATS-6 satellite enabled direct broadcast of educational content to around 2,400 villages across 20 districts in six states, while ISRO provided ground systems and AIR managed programme production. Programmes focused on agriculture, health, family planning, primary education, and teacher training -- laying the foundation for satellite-based development communication in India.
Doordarshan expanded its mandate beyond entertainment into news, public service broadcasting, community learning, and educational outreach. The network began structured broadcasts in school education, rural development, and awareness generation, setting the stage for future national initiatives such as UGCs higher-education telecasts and CECs curriculum-based programming.
This period also marked Doordarshans growing role in delivering authentic, balanced news and public information across the country, as public broadcasting evolved beyond entertainment into a tool for social development. Regional Doordarshan Kendras strengthened local-language content creation, enabling broader representation of Indias cultural and linguistic diversity. With the expansion of television centres and regional production units, Doordarshan strengthened local-language content creation and broadened cultural representation.
By the early 1980s, the institutional foundations of Indian television were firmly established -- a nationwide network, a development-oriented programming ethos, and growing technological capability that would drive the next phase of expansion, including colour broadcasting and national coverage.
Colour Television and National Coverage (1982-1990)
The introduction of colour television in 1982, coinciding with the Asian Games in New Delhi, was a landmark in Indias broadcasting history. This period saw rapid expansion of terrestrial transmitters under Doordarshan, extending reach to rural and remote areas. By 1990, Doordarshans network covered nearly 70% of Indias population and 80% of the geographical area. During the 1980s, Doordarshan also expanded the role of its regional broadcasting centres--known as Doordarshan Kendras--which produce and transmit programmes in regional languages, thereby strengthening li
