Byculla women's prison in Mumbai starts FM radio centre for inmates

A radio interview of Maharashtra’s prison department chief Amitabh Gupta this week marked a new beginning at the Byculla women’s jail here.

Gupta was interviewed by inmate Shraddha Chougule on Friday after the inauguration of an “FM radio centre” set up on the prison premises, said a police official on Sunday.

The initiative not only aims to provide entertainment to the inmates but also help them reform through devotional and spiritual programmes apart from upskilling some of them with the knowledge of radio broadcast, he said.

The concept of an FM radio centre inside a prison is not new in the state. Such facilities already exist in places like Pune’s Yerawada Central Jail, Nagpur Central Jail, Amravati Central Jail and Kolhapur Central Jail, the official said. But it's a first for women inmates.

There is always a sense of uneasiness in the mind of every person who enters a prison, the official said. Additionally, thoughts about one’s family, future and case create a negative feeling in the minds of the inmates, he said.

Keeping these aspects, the FM radio centre was started at the Byculla women’s jail to guide the inmates towards positivity, he said.

“Here, women inmates will work as radio jockeys. Devotional songs, bhajans and spiritual programmes will be presented through this FM radio centre. Even songs will be played on demand,” said the official.

Apart from assisting in the reformation of those on the other side of the law, women inmates will also be trained as radio jockeys so that they gain skills for employment in future after their release from prison, the official said.

As inmate Chougule took on the role of the radio jockey during the interview with Gupta, the state’s additional director-general (prisons), they discussed facilities currently being provided to prisoners.

Gupta also talked about facilities that the department plans to provide to prisoners in the future, keeping in mind their human rights, the official said.

Also, during an interaction between the top prison official and foreign prisoners, the latter expressed gratitude for the introduction of "e-Mulakat", he added.