facebook

twitter

youtube

Virtual Tour

Launch of Story Akka on All India Radio Akashvani 

 

Bengaluru, 5th September 2023 - This Teacher’s Day, in a momentous step toward inclusive education and empowerment, a new educational children’s series called 'Story Akka' is launching on All India Radio, Akashvani. This radio program is designed for children to gain an empathetic understanding of people with disabilities and features heartwarming stories as well as information on digital assistive technologies.

 

‘Story Akka’ (Story Sister in Kannada) not only showcases the spirit of innovation but also incorporates educational elements in maths and science to enrich young minds. Segments such as simple maths problems, intriguing facts about the human body, and captivating trivia about nature are seamlessly integrated into the narratives, creating an immersive and enjoyable learning experience for children.

 

The 10-minute-long programmes will be broadcast twice a week, on Tuesday and Saturday evenings at 5:45 on Akashvani across the districts of Karnataka including Bengaluru, Dharwad, Kalaburagi, Mangaluru, Mysuru, Bhadravati, Hassan, Madikeri, Chitradurga, Hosapete, Raichur, Karwar & Vijayapura regions. The programmes can also be heard live on the NEWSONAIR app of Prasar Bharati. 

 

The radio series is part of a larger collaborative effort between leading research, academic and non-profit institutes, namely the CAGS (Centre for Accessibility in the Global South) - IIIT Bangalore, Vision Empower and Microsoft Research India. Their initiative, the SEEDS (Scalable Early Education with Digital Scaffolding) project, aims to empower children with disabilities (CwDs) and their teachers through the integration of digital devices and curated content into their educational journey. Through a combination of devices such as mobile phones, smartphones & smart speakers, and apps such as e-readers and games, the project opens new doors to the digital world for children who may currently have limited access.

 

The audio narration and storytelling is powered by Pickle Jar Media, an organisation that creates podcasts and audiovisual productions for businesses and non-profits. Founded by Vasanthi Hariprakash, an award-winning radio anchor and journalist, Pickle Jar Media partnered with the SEEDS team for story development, research, audio production & distribution of the radio series.

 

The series is slated for a later release on YouTube and other podcast platforms. Keep listening to the stories for future updates.