CRI's Tamil programmes, which enjoy a cult following , are set to grow bigger
S. Pandiyarajan was fiddling around with his shortwave radio set one hot summer evening at Villupuram, Tamil Nadu, when he stumbled upon a strange station.
At first listen, it was a language he couldn't identify. It sounded like Tamil, but spoken in an accent he could not recognise. He listened on, straining his ears. To his surprise, he discovered that the voices were coming from faraway China.
“I could hear two Chinese people speaking in perfect Tamil!” he said. “And this was Sentamizh [classical Tamil], which you never hear anywhere, anymore, even in Tamil Nadu.”
That evening, Mr. Pandiyarajan became the latest member of China Radio International's fast-growing overseas fan base. The station, run by the Chinese government, has, for more than six decades, been tasked with carrying news from China — from politics to arts and culture — to boost the country's image overseas.
With humble beginnings in the civil war-torn China in the 1940s, CRI today is at the centre of a massive multi-billion dollar effort to boost rising China's “soft power” overseas, sending out daily broadcasts in 63 languages, 24 hours a day, from its expansive multi-storey headquarters in west Beijing.
Remarkably, CRI's Tamil station enjoys the widest reach of all its channels. Its popularity underscores the quiet success China's “soft power” push is having in unlikely locations. The Tamil station, which broadcasts every day from a modest 12th floor office, has more than 25,000 registered listeners — besides thousands of others who tune in casually every day — in Tamil Nadu and the rest of India, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Singapore, South Africa, Germany, the United States and Japan.
The Tamil station started broadcasting in 1963. Since then, it has continued to beam its shows uninterrupted, building up an almost cult following overseas, with its fans even organising themselves into a network of listeners' clubs.
Leading the station is Zhu Juan Hua, from Shanghai, who prefers to go by the Tamil name Kalaiarasi. Ms. Zhu has been with CRI Tamil since its launch, among the first group of students in this country who were trained in Tamil.
“When I joined CRI, the situation was far different,” said Ms. Zhu. “We had few speakers. Today, we have 15 highly trained Chinese Tamil-speaking staff, and plan to hire six more this year. We have been growing, and growing.”
Speaking in fluent Tamil, she says the station receives more than 450,000 letters every year, accounting for 30 per cent of all the letters CRI's more than 60 channels receive.
CRI, along with China Central Television and the Xinhua news agency, is now in the middle of an $8.7-billion “soft power” push to boost Chinese media overseas.
The station is on a drive to purchase prominent slots on local AM and FM channels in many countries. Earlier this year, CRI's Urdu channel launched FM broadcasts in Pakistan. CRI Tamil has also launched FM broadcasts in Sri Lanka, and is now in talks with stations in Tamil Nadu. CRI's Tamil shows are currently broadcast in India, on shortwave, every evening for two hours, starting at 7.30 p.m.
This month, the station invited the heads of some of its listeners' clubs in Tamil Nadu to visit its Beijing headquarters, part of an effort to engage more with listeners.
S. Selvam, head of the All-India Listeners' Club, said the station's popularity was driven by its novelty. “The first thing that strikes you is, why are these Chinese people learning Tamil, and speaking perfect Sentamizh?” he said. “You think, if they are making such an effort, we have to reach out to them.”
Mr. Pandiyarajan agreed. “This is something completely new,” he said. “We have Villupuram Tamil, Chennai Tamil, Puducherry Tamil. But I never thought I would discover that there would also be a Cheena [Chinese] Tamil.”
Keywords: China Radio International, Tamil service, Chinese hosts
This is Very good news for all Tamil peoples. Yes. I am also CRI Listener from 1992 itself. MY name in Pillayarkulam S.V.SUBRAMANIAN. my membership no - 067001. I got lot prices from every year contest. & i met mr.Sundaran also. at pazani. past few years i am not touch with CRI. I dont know current news CRI. Now I am continouing to listen CRI Programmes.
thank you ' the hindu' for doing this service to tamil . in a century where sentamizh is becoming a rarity, radio china has shown us the way . our fm stations should learn something from this station.
Thank you very much for your comments. China Radio International
(Tamil)frequencies.. 7.30 to 8.30 pm (IST).. 13600 and 11685, 8.30 to 9.30 pm..
11800 and 9490, 7.30 to 8.30 am .. 13600 and 15260, 8.30 to 9.30 am.. 13600 and 13730.
Plz listen and send your comments to CRI. If you contact me, I will send you the stamp-free covers to you for your valuable use. My cell number.. 9976990808. email: criselvam@hotmail.com.
There is a lot we can learn and benefit from China. People of this two great countries can come closer and benefit mutually in Trade,Philosophy, Science, Education, Culture, etc., Indian Politicians and Business Houses, who have their own narrow vested interests, are only coming in the way.When we are going to open our eyes and realize it?
Is it not a shame that in next door Bangalore, you can never get to here Tamil stations in spite of the fact about a third of Bangalore is Tamil origin? Here is China not only supporting our language, outclassed us and also have Tamil lessons to learn Mandarin. Chinese very well know that India allows only the Hindi language across it states. India should open up radio and allow more languages across states.
What is the frequency. Are they available on net streaming ?
Excellent, unaware of such a great thing for so many years, I think we have missed a lot, thanks a ton to 'Hindu' to bring this to our knowledge. Could someone give us the frequency of this channel, so it can be' yaam petra inbam peruga ivayagam'. Hats off to Hindu which brought this to our knowledge.
Very good news. I am in malaysia. can i know the frequency. i want to hear the Chinese tamil.
Great news, The Hindu.Thanks to you. Kindly let us know in what other Indian languages they have their Radio brodcast, frequency etc., Kalaiarisi Valgha! You are doing a yeoman service in the cultural sphere, lady. Very few of us learn Chinese language though quite a few of us in Chennai learn Japanese. Now here is a pathbreaking event!
This is nothing new!!! This model has been developed and used successfully by the former world power and the current world power, i.e. Great Britain and USA, respectively. I am sure that people who work at CRI are nice people and most like has true appreciation for Tamil language; however, the existence of CRI is to cultivate Chinese point of world view through soft power. America used Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty very effectively during cold war. US also established many universities all over the world, i.e. American University of Cairo. I find that us Indians has a tendency to go gaga whenever any foreigner (especially a powerful country) shows any interest in our culture. I am of the opinion that we should have enough confidence in ourselves that we shouldn't require or need any seal of approval from outside. With that said, I do want to clarify that I would be less cynical if CRI was an independent radio and not funded by Chinese government.
Sir, could you please send the frequency range to my email id : nkarthik_mnnit@yahoo.co.in
Am Proud to inform Ms.Zhu having a Lovely Tamil Name called 'Kalaiarasi'. Still i can remember her speech on 'Ulaga Tamil Chemmozhi Maanadu'.Even we can do some mistakes if we speak in Pure Tamil.But as per my experiance she never had mistakes in Pure tamil...Tamil Velga,Vaalga.
BBC Tamilosai is the pioneer in Tamil services in Radio Broadcasting from abroad for the past 50 years ad more..Voice of America had also broadcasting tamil services once.Vatican,Karachi and Manila also conducting overseas Tamil services,In South Africa, Radio Lotus in Durban is conducting tamil services.Sri lanka,Singapore and Malaysia are all having whole time tamil services with better qualities of Tamil services to the listeners.Radio Medan, Radio Saigon plays tamils songs to its local tamil population.Germany conducting Bengali,Hindi and Urdu services for the Indians.All services being done with a view to promote better understanding and cooperation among peoples.Even after 60 years India lacks far behind in providing quality broadccasting services to tamil diaspora spread world over.Sri lankan Tamils spread all over the world due to ethnci strife in that country, are prmoting and conducting their own Radio and TV services in Tamil in Europe and Canada.
All India Radio never ever comes up with such initiatives and programs. They have lost or lacked any cultural or entertaining sense or responsibility to the Indian Public. Both Doordarshan and AIR became a wasteful expenditure, because nobody listens/watches to their programs any more. It is now operating for a small group of beneficiaries who work there. So, it is no point in asking them to start a classical Tamil channel for tamil people.
I appreciate you for this excellent piece of information about tamil services from cri China. Can you please let us know the exact frequency so that we can tune in to listen the service. Thanks once again.
Pleasant surprise. What is the frequency we can catch the station? Also, is it available as an internet Radio station?
What a pleasant surprise !The Tamil spoken was fantastic. Kalaiarasi's Tamil articulation was brilliant. In comparison I am ashamed of the Tamil spoken by the anchors of programmes in virtually all the Tamil channels in Tamilnad - the rare exception is Abdul Hameed and he is a Sri Lankan. Shame on our polititions who call themselves guardians of the Semozhi while their channels owned by them wholly or by their benamis broadcast in a language which is neither Tamil or English.
Whilst in Madras, I used to hear during late 70's and 80's under 'Peking Vanoli Nilayam' from 7.30pm to 8.00pm and again 8.00pm to 8.30pm. Was this Broadcast the same as CRI ??
You may like to visit the website of CRI Tamil at tamil.cri.cn . It's a well-maintained site, with links to broadcast schedule and frequencies. Interstingly, there are even online Chinese lessons!
Publishing this news is a good work by 'The Hindu', when we take steps to popularise 'classic Tamizh'.
Sir, I was astonished to read Tamil Broadcasting Radio is functioning in Shanghai,China over six decades.In fact Tamil language is nourished by other parts of the World except Tamilnadu.Here our politicians poses as great patron of the ancient language and make use of it for their oun livelihood.Hats off to China for the great Service being done to our Tamil language which has hoary past.
Wow! That's very interesting news! Pleased to hear that CRI's Tamil channel is receiving such great response from all over the world! Best wishes to CRI in its future initiatives to spread Senthamizh sound waves across the globe! Thanks to The Hindu for bringing this to our attention. Could someone share the SW frequency of this channel please?
Our planners and policymakers and administrators have long back forgotten the virtues of arts, culture, music and faith could travel far faster ahead cutting across political animosities. It is good that Chinese have taken the initiative. Some years back, the Chinese had invited Jaynedrar, the Kanchi Mutt head. The mandarins of the ministry did not favour it because it was not done through them.In the old Halcyone Nehruvian days, there was an India-China Friendship Association doing its work in Mumbai. May be we are engulfed with them in endless disputes but these ties could lessen the negative impact. Will some Tamil entrepreneurs rise to the occasion and start a comparative India service beaming to the Chinese. For example, a nadaswaram or flue recital by Carnatic artistes would spellbind the Chinese.
Dear Sir, Can you give the frequency in which we can receive it in Chennai? Thanks for bringing this interesting news.
This is an extraordinary story. During an era when the old public broadcasters such as the BBC and others are cutting down on their 'foreign' services, the Chinese are investing in 'public diplomacy'. In fact they have allocated a couple of billion dollars to strengthening their overseas broadcasting arms. The issue is of course what to make of such investments Or should we just celebrate such initiatives given the potential for cross cultural understanding? I think that it is fair to say that irrespective of why they are investing in overseas broadcasting, or for that matter in global aid, they are showing leadership when the rest of the world is floundering in a mess of their own creation - corruption scandals in India, the debt ceiling crisis in the USA and the unravelling of the EU.
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