Radio Ujala’ makes Rakhi special for Barnala jail inmates
Sisters send heartfelt messages and dedicate songs to brothers through jail’s community radio station
Jail Inmates Take to the Mic as Radio Ujala Gives Them a New Platform
Babushahi Bureau
Barnala (Punjab), August 29, 2026: For inmates at District Jail Barnala, Rakhi this year brought an unusual yet deeply emotional experience. While the festival traditionally celebrates the bond between brothers and sisters, at the jail, that bond found a new voice through ‘Radio Ujala’, the community radio station operating inside the prison.
On the occasion of Rakhi, the jail administration dedicated the day’s radio programming to the cherished bond between siblings.
Sisters who visited the jail to tie rakhi to their brothers also sent heartfelt messages and dedicated songs to them through a special radio programme, turning an otherwise restricted space into a place of emotional connection.
The programme began with a message of Jail Superintendent (AIG) Shivraj Singh Nandgarh, who went on air and spoke about the significance and history of Raksha Bandhan. Extending his greetings to inmates and their families, he emphasised the importance of strengthening family bonds and maintaining emotional connections with loved ones.
What made the initiative particularly special was that the voices behind the microphone were not professional radio presenters, but inmates themselves.
The jail administration is training inmates to work as radio jockeys, providing them an opportunity to develop communication skills, showcase their talents and participate in constructive activities. A Inmate with prior experience in radio presented the special Raksha Bandhan programme and others inmates are also being trained by him.
Jail Superintendent Nandgarh said Radio Ujala has emerged as an important platform for constructive engagement among inmates.
Besides music and entertainment, its daily programming includes awareness programmes on issues such as drug abuse and prevention, helping create a positive and healthy environment within the jail.
Deputy Commissioner Harpreet Singh, IAS, said that Radio Ujala was set up at District Jail Barnala in July 2026 by the Red Cross Society Barnala at a cost of around Rs. 3.5 lakh.
“The initiative was undertaken with the objective of bringing ‘Ujala’ into the mental and emotional well-being of inmates, encouraging positive behavioural change and helping them move towards becoming responsible citizens,” DC said.
For Beant Kaur of Barnala, who visited the jail to tie rakhi to her brother, the experience was particularly meaningful. She appreciated the arrangements made by the jail administration and the initiative of allowing sisters to dedicate songs and convey personal messages to their brothers through Radio Ujala.
Deputy Superintendent (Jail) Vikas Sharma said that constructive, awareness-based and entertainment programmes would continue to be broadcast daily through the station to maintain a positive atmosphere inside the jail.