A Strange Happening!!!!!!!!

P oornam Viswanathan cleared his throat, controlled his emotions and announced India 's freedom to the outside world in a radi o broadcast. At five thirty on the morning of August 15, 1947, young Viswanathan became the first Indian to make that external broadcast from All India Radio to East Asia .

That moment has stood still in his memory since. Fifty years after that historic event, 76-year-old Viswanathan spoke about those memories and the turbulence of pre-Independent days with Shobha Warrier.

When did you know that you were to broadcast the news of India 's independence?

I was a news reader for All India Radio from 1945 onwards. You can call it a strange coincidence, rather a divine coincidence. When the duty list was announced, my name was scheduled for the night of August 14. The broadcast began at 5.30 in the morning for the East Asian listeners and I was to read the first bulletin. It was my great fortune, I must say. How did I feel then? I felt elated.

Was there a lump in your throat then?

As a news reader I am not supposed to feel any any lump at all. I controlled my feelings till I finished the news bulletin. Later I cried with joy.

Really?

Yes, I cried for two reasons. One , India was free; secondly, I was selected to read the news bulletin announcing India 's independence.

Do you remember the first line?

" India is a free country," was the first sentence. This was followed by repeating Nehru's Tryst with destiny speech.

Did you read Nehru's speech in English or in Tamil?

In Tamil.

What it difficult to translate Nehru's words?

No, no, not at all. For one thing, Nehru spoke in simple words. Gandhiji spoke in yet more simpler words. We had been translating Gandhi ji's prayer speeches regularly. I translated Nehru's speech with great joy and read it with even greater joy.

We have heard that Nehru had tears in his eyes when he made the speech. Those who assembled there also wept. Did you feel the same way when you read the speech in Tamil?

It is true that all those assembled wept with joy. When Nehru himself cried while speaking, what about an ordinary news reader like me? But if I cried while I reading the news, the lines would have smeared. So, I controlled my emotions. I still cherish the moment, a moment that I will never experience again.

Did the bulletin begin with " India is a free country," or the regular, "This is All India Radio..?

Though it was such an important occasion and formal announcements were not required, the listeners needed to know where the broadcast was coming from. So, the "All India Radio" announcement was necessary.

Was that also in Hindi or Tamil?

In 1947, we only said, "All India Radio." Akashwani came only later. So I read, "All India Radio, seythikal vasippathu Poornam Viswanathan...