Radio service turns 100

Sri Lankan radio service that was once popular across India as just 'Radio Ceylon' and popularised 'Binaca Geetmala,' a one of its kind weekly countdown show of Hindi film songs, turned 100 this week. Sri Lankan radio service was officially launched on December 16, 1925. It was the first commercial short-wave station in Asia.  “The National Radio boasts the largest library of recorded songs in Asia, including rare Hindi song records not found in India and a unique collection of world leaders' voice recordings,” said a statement from SLBC when it marked the centenary. Originally part of the Department of Telecommunications, the radio service was reorganised on October 1, 1949 as 'Radio Ceylon' and later, on January 5, 1967, rechristened as the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC).