Tinka Jail Radio: A means to boost inmates' morale
2020 witnessed innumerable deaths due to the Coronavirus pandemic and changed our lives forever. 2021 is nothing short of tragic with people dying on one hand and the others pulling all stops to stay safe.
Given the rising number of COVID-19 cases in India, the lives of the jail inmates are also at stake, leaving them in a state of anxiety and loneliness.
To boost the inmates' morale, three jails of Haryana- Central Jail, Ambala, District Jail, Panipat and District Jail, Faridabad - welcomed the idea of having their own jail radio under the name 'Tinka Jail Radio'.
Auditions were held in December 2020, after which 21 inmates from Haryana's three central jails were selected for the initiative. These inmates were from different age groups and educational backgrounds. Dr Vartika Nanda, a prison reformer and the head of the department of journalism in Lady Shri Ram College, Delhi University, was given the job of training the inmates. The purpose of training was to prepare them to make radio programs along with making them understand about the needs and importance of jail radio.
On February 26, 2021, 'Ambala Jail Radio' was inaugurated by Rajiv Arora, IAS, Additional Chief Secretary (Home and Jail) and K Selvaraj, IPS, Director General of Prisons, Haryana. Set up in the jail premises, episodes of the radio station are broadcasted through speakers set up outside the barracks. These episodes have programming on legal issues, disease prevention, in-house talent and music.
40-year-old Sheru is an inmate lodged in Ambala's Central Jail, where he is serving a 10-year sentence. He was selected as a radio jockey in December 2020 along with other inmates from the jails of Haryana. Thanks to the 'Ambala Jail Radio', Sheru found his new identity as a lyricist and a singer who sings his composed songs. His recent release on COVID-19, written in Punjabi, was applauded by both jail authorities and inmates.
A list of artists in the jail is being prepared which will decide their participation in the jail radio. Inmates from these 3 prisons have prepared their own intro song and tune. They are searching for new opportunities using the limited resources in prison and are acting as counsellors for each other.
Dr Nanda shared, "Jails have already started witnessing a change in prison atmosphere - inmates are busy polishing their talent as they are using the radio lingo and addressing each other as radio jockeys. Inmates are both producers and consumers. We have created a special model of 'Tinka Model of Prison Reforms', which is shared with other prisons across the country. 'Tinka Tinka' is working towards becoming a bridge between prisons."
Tinka Tinka launched jail radio on 31 July, 2019 in District Jail Agra, which remains as the oldest prison building in India. In the second phase of Tinka Tinka Prison Model, all jails in Haryana will have their own jail radio. The radio name of each jail will be connected to its location.
Dr. Vartika Nanda is doing her best to bring change in prison atmosphere through her banner Tinka Tinka. The President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee, conferred the Stree Shakti Puraskar on her in 2014. Her books Tinka Tinka Tihar, Tijnka Tinka Dasna and Tinka Madhya Pradesh are considered to be masterpieces on prison reforms in India.
