Doordarshan began as an experimental TV service of All India Radio in Delhi on 15 September 1959, became a separate department on 1 April 1976 and went colour…
President Rajendra Prasad inaugurated an experimental TV service run by All India Radio on 15 September 1959. School television followed on 24 October 1961.
A daily service with Hindi news began on 15 August 1965. On 26 January 1967 Doordarshan launched Krishi Darshan, carrying farming advice.
From 1 August 1975 to 31 July 1976, NASA's ATS-6 satellite beamed educational programmes to community TV sets in about 2,400 villages.
Doordarshan went colour and national on 15 August 1982, months before the Asian Games opened in Delhi on 19 November. INSAT-1B followed in August 1983.
Ramanand Sagar's Ramayan began on 25 January 1987; Mahabharat followed on 2 October 1988. Hum Log (1984) and Buniyaad (1986) came earlier.
Cable operators relayed CNN's Gulf War coverage in January 1991, then STAR TV. Zee TV, the first private Hindi channel, launched on 2 October 1992.
On 9 February 1995, in a case about cricket telecasts, the Supreme Court held that the airwaves belong to the public and the government cannot monopolise broadcasting.
On 23 November 1997, Doordarshan and AIR became parts of the statutory Prasar Bharati. DD News went 24-hour on 3 November 2003.
Doordarshan's free DTH service launched on 16 December 2004 with 33 channels and no monthly fee. By 2024-25 it carried 381 channels to about 49 million homes.
On 26 May 2024, DD Kisan introduced two AI anchors. DD Podhigai became DD Tamil in January, and the WAVES OTT app launched in November.
Doordarshan marked its 67th foundation day on 15 September 2026 with the theme Kal Bhi Apna, Aaj Bhi Apna. It runs 35 satellite channels.
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