World Radio Day 2026: Pune event reflects on radio’s future in age of AI
The event was organised in line with UNESCO’s theme for the year — Radio and Artificial Intelligence (AI).
"Radio once shaped daily routines from morning to night," Marathi author, Mangala Godbole.(Express Photo) Written by Rimil Patra
Blending nostalgia with conversations on the future, Pune marked World Radio Day 2026 with an evening of talks and a documentary screening at Firodia Hall, Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute. The event was organised in line with UNESCO’s theme for the year — Radio and Artificial Intelligence (AI) — and examined how the trusted medium continues to evolve in an increasingly digitised world.
Dr Anand Deshpande, Founder, Chairman and Managing Director of Persistent Systems, who was scheduled to deliver a talk on Radio and AI, could not attend the programme due to personal reasons. However, the discussions reflected on the growing role of AI in streamlining programming, archiving and scheduling, while emphasising that technology cannot replace the human voice and credibility that define radio.