By : Anjna Devi
Tashi Delek 90.4 FM, the fist Tibetan community radio station in India, is no more broadcasting, due to financial difficulties. The station which was started way back in 2010 with much fanfare and hopes for the Tibetan exile community in Dharamshala, according to Phuntsoko, the station in-charge, has stopped broadcasting for the last one year due to absence of funds to meet the operating expenditure.
Talking to Delayer, Mr. Phuntsoko, told that the major issue is finding day-to-day expenses for the smooth functioning of the station. "Due to fund shortage, we were finding it difficult to engage full-time staff to manage the station and to keep it running on a daily basis, which made us to take the painful decision to stop broadcasting in 2014 itself", said he.
The station which was situated at the Tibetan Community Village (TCV) School at Upper Dharamshala was inaugurated by Tibetan spiritual leader, His Holiness Dalai-Lama by airing his Buddhist teaching sessions on 1st June, 2010. Claimed to be one of the first licensed community radio station in the Indian Himalayas, Tashi Delek FM used to reach Mcleodgunj, Dharamshala, Naddi and Norbulingka where the Tibetan exile population is mostly concentrated.
The equipment of the FM station are still situated in the locked office room inside the Tibetan Community Village (TCV) school at Upper Dharamshala from where it has been functioning. "We had issues with finding artists and technicians to make the programmes also" says Phuntsoko. While we used to get help from volunteers who have technical expertise and other community members, Jagori, an NGO's working for women empowerment, used to associate with us for producing programmes for the FM, remembers Phustsoko.
However, there could be a ray of hope of the tunnel. According to sources, the TCV School committee has agreed to look into the matter."The Committee is going to hold a meeting in December 2015 and if they decide to solve the financial trouble of the station, we may as well be able to start broadcasting again by March 2016", says Phuntsoko.
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| Technicians working at Tashi Delek FM (an earlier image/ credit;phayul.com) |
Talking to Delayer, Mr. Phuntsoko, told that the major issue is finding day-to-day expenses for the smooth functioning of the station. "Due to fund shortage, we were finding it difficult to engage full-time staff to manage the station and to keep it running on a daily basis, which made us to take the painful decision to stop broadcasting in 2014 itself", said he.
The station which was situated at the Tibetan Community Village (TCV) School at Upper Dharamshala was inaugurated by Tibetan spiritual leader, His Holiness Dalai-Lama by airing his Buddhist teaching sessions on 1st June, 2010. Claimed to be one of the first licensed community radio station in the Indian Himalayas, Tashi Delek FM used to reach Mcleodgunj, Dharamshala, Naddi and Norbulingka where the Tibetan exile population is mostly concentrated.
The equipment of the FM station are still situated in the locked office room inside the Tibetan Community Village (TCV) school at Upper Dharamshala from where it has been functioning. "We had issues with finding artists and technicians to make the programmes also" says Phuntsoko. While we used to get help from volunteers who have technical expertise and other community members, Jagori, an NGO's working for women empowerment, used to associate with us for producing programmes for the FM, remembers Phustsoko.
However, there could be a ray of hope of the tunnel. According to sources, the TCV School committee has agreed to look into the matter."The Committee is going to hold a meeting in December 2015 and if they decide to solve the financial trouble of the station, we may as well be able to start broadcasting again by March 2016", says Phuntsoko.
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