Doordarshan (DD) is the public service broadcaster of India, owned and operated by Prasar Bharati, an autonomous statutory body under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India. Headquartered at the Doordarshan Bhawan on Mandi House, New Delhi, it operates one of the largest broadcasting networks in the world, transmitting in multiple Indian languages through a chain of terrestrial, satellite and digital channels.
| Type | Public service broadcaster |
|---|---|
| Founded | 15 September 1959 (as a unit of All India Radio) |
| Separated from AIR | 1 April 1976 |
| Parent organisation | Prasar Bharati (since 23 November 1997) |
| Headquarters | Doordarshan Bhawan, Copernicus Marg, New Delhi |
| Country | India |
| Languages | Hindi, English and several regional Indian languages |
| Flagship channels | DD National, DD News, DD India, DD Bharati, DD Sports, DD Kisan |
Doordarshan began as an experimental telecast on 15 September 1959 from a makeshift studio at Akashvani Bhawan, New Delhi, with a small transmitter and a limited audience reached through community television sets. The service was initially a part of All India Radio and was intended primarily as an instrument of social education. Daily transmission commenced in 1965, and the news service was introduced the same year.
The name "Doordarshan", a Sanskrit-derived term meaning "distant vision", was adopted as the broadcaster expanded beyond Delhi. On 1 April 1976, Doordarshan was separated from All India Radio and constituted as an independent department under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
Doordarshan operates a multi-tier network comprising national, regional and international channels.
For several decades Doordarshan was the sole television broadcaster in India, and it played a defining role in shaping mass culture, political communication, agricultural extension and educational outreach in the country. Its programming during the 1980s, particularly mythological and family dramas, is often credited with cementing television as a household medium across India. Through SITE and later through dedicated educational and agricultural channels, Doordarshan has been used as a tool for development communication, especially in rural areas.
Even after the entry of private satellite broadcasters from the early 1990s, Doordarshan retains the widest terrestrial reach in India, with its network of transmitters covering the bulk of the country's population and geography. It is also the official host broadcaster for major national events such as the Republic Day parade, Independence Day address from the Red Fort, and the President's address to the nation.
Doordarshan functions under Prasar Bharati and is headed by a Director-General. Its operations are organised through Doordarshan Kendras (production centres) and a network of high-power, low-power and very-low-power transmitters across the country. Programme production, news, engineering and commercial sales are handled by separate divisions, with Doordarshan Commercial Service (DD Sales) managing advertising revenue.