A couple of months ago, Digital Broadcasters Vendor News covered the story of a young entrepreneur, Raghav Mahto, the 21-year-old who had his little community radio station, "FM Mansoorpur" in Bihar state, India shut down a few months ago.
Support poured in from around the world, but so far to no avail of transmitting again.
Well, Raghav has now received an award for his achievement.
The "Manthan-AIF Award" for community broadcasting has been given to Raghav by the "Digital Empowerment Foundation".
The foundation's director, Osama Manzar, said that Raghav was a hero in Indian community radio.
Raghav set up "FM Mansoorpur" in his electronics shop for fun. It quickly became a housewives' favourite radio station in villages within its 15 kilometre radius transmission area. But the state government closed the broadcaster down for operating without a license.
Raghav who could not study because of poverty. Undeterred but he made a livelihood through his electronics workshop and publicity from the radio station.
Ironically, it is the Bihar state government that is trying to help "FM Mansoorpur" get back on air in negotiations with New Delhi authorities.
Under the law, only educational institutions are allowed to run community (campus) radio stations within their campuses.
Watch this space, as they say, to see if Indian bureaucracy has a heart and is sensitive to local community needs and a truly remarkable and innovative local community broadcaster.
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