As a kid I was always fascinated by an old radio set owned by my grandfather. Although, he never let us kids touch it, our eyes were always on it.
After my grandpa passed away, I have kept the radio set as one of his most treasured memories.
Recently, when I got to know that keeping a radio in the 1960s required a licence, I understood what it meant to him.
Yes, a Reddit user shared a few pictures of a domestic radio licence, issued in India in the 1960s.
While I never found my grandpa’s licence, I browsed through Twitter to read interesting stories shared by people.
While some users shared the pictures of licences they found in their homes, others also mentioned details like the renewal fee.
#WorldRadioDay In image: The license that one needed for radio in 1970s and 80s. These were taken out by my father. He loved listening to the radio for news, cricket commentary and music. @AkashvaniAIR #AllIndiaRadio #India #Akashvani pic.twitter.com/ySfzr5ZOmC
— Anshul Vijayvargiya (@Anshulv) February 13, 2020
Radio license was there in India abolished in 1991. 15 RS a year.
— Vijayashankar 💙 (@vjshankar) June 14, 2019
And Rs.3 for additional radio/transistor in the same household.
— TV BALASUBRAMANIAN (@mythilitvb) June 14, 2019
Not many would know that radio license existed in India😃
— V.Ramesh (@RameshRameshwar) July 13, 2018
TIL in Ireland you have to pay a monthly TV license fee 😉 Sounds so much like 1965 Radio license fee in India 😂😂
— जय श्री राम। ಜೈ ಶ್ರೀ ರಾಮ hamsanandi ಹಂಸಾನಂದಿ (@hamsanandi) March 9, 2018
Radio broadcast was started in India in 1928. U had to buy a BRL(Broadcast Receiver’s License) to listen to your radio- Rs. 10 per annum. Later revised to Rs 15 in ’70s. Had to be renewed annually at the local post office. The BRL was abolished in 1984.
— Vinay Singh (@Vinaywriteon) May 15, 2019
Once Some thing called Radio tax was there in India. Seen one old license book bought by my father in early 80s.
— Susovan Pandit (@SusovanPandit) July 9, 2020
This was the license we had in India for Radio/Television pic.twitter.com/sHTtyK8X3S
— Sriram (@SriramKana) June 14, 2019
Does anyone remember this from the 70s-mid 80s?
— Cynical Mallu (@CynicalMallu) July 19, 2020
Back then we had to obtain a license to own a radio set: the regular AM radio that played MW & SW-FM was yet to come. And the license had to be renewed each year with a new stamp!@avataram @KS1729 @dpanikkar pic.twitter.com/7WAx1NxNJt
Ones upon a time everyone must have Radio Receiver License to use Radio and Television in India upto 1984.
— அருண் ◆ Arun ◆ अरुण (@iamarundurairaj) December 12, 2019
Days are gone…
This is My Dad’s Licence.#FreedomofSpeech#FreedomofExpression pic.twitter.com/CQwz3mpwxw
Yes, we had go to local post office to get it done. Used wonder what would be the stamps look like ! https://t.co/ngbYP1f4jf
— UMD ~ unnikrishna #MeanwhileInKerala (@unnikrishna) July 19, 2020
I have seen this in 60’s. I am ancient 🤩🙌 https://t.co/gdPrfjREtC
— Rupa Gandhi (@rgandhi90) July 19, 2020
I have seen this in my house in 84-85.. navy blue coloured booklet..used to get this magazine called வானொலி published by AIR.. preserved a copy till late 90s.. lost it somewhere
— Jayaprakash Sampath (@icarusprakash) July 19, 2020
Did you know you needed a license to own a radio or TV till early 80’s in India? Found radio and TV licenses at home! What if they did the same for mobiles today? 🤔🤔🤔 pic.twitter.com/rAonUsaJ3R
— Bhavna Bahri (@becauseofb) January 28, 2018
Found this at our village home during my recent India visit. My Father’s “Radio license” issued in 1974 at Bowbazar (Calcutta). pic.twitter.com/XDLrZHwqnd
— Anshuman Singh (@anshumansingh75) December 8, 2019
History is fascinating, isn’t it?
