Vartika Nanda: Tinka Tinka Prison Reforms: Indian Prison Reformer

Welcome to Episode 18 of the Tinka Tinka Jail Radio Podcast!  This podcast revolves around the story of a 40-year-old inmate named Mantu. Due to overcrowding of jails during the rise of COVID-19, the Supreme Court declared that those inmates who are eligible for parole will be allowed to return to their homes till the situation improves. Thus, Mantu was allowed to temporarily leave the jail for a short period of time. Surprisingly, Mantu refused to leave the jail for parole. A similar decision was taken by many more inmates across the country. What was the reason behind this shocking decision? Listen to this insightful podcast narrated by Dr. Vartika Nanda to find out. Tinka Tinka Podcast is the exclusive podcast series solely dedicated to prison reforms. The podcasts are released by the Tinka Tinka Foundation on their Youtube channel. These are conceptualised, written and voiced by India’s prison reformer Dr. Vartika Nanda.  The experiences of these inmates help add meaning and value in their lives. The aim is also to ultimately help them resocialize and rehabilitate to the real world.

शेरू उस समय केंद्रीय जेल अंबाला की अपनी बैरक के एक कोने में सिमटा हुआ था जब उसे एकाएक यह सूचना मिली कि उसके गाने को केंद्रीय स्वास्थ्य मंत्री डॉ. हर्षवर्धन ने ट्वीट किया है। शेरू ट्विटर को नहीं जानता और न ही वह यह भी ठीक से जानता है कि उसके गाने को भारत भर ने सुना और सराहा है।  गाने की सराहना करने वालों में जेल से निकले 4 ऐसे लोग भी हैं जिनके लिए यह कोशिश बड़े मायने रखती हैं। इनमें डॉ. नुपूर तलवार भी शामिल हैं।  इस गाने को दुनिया के सामने लाने में सुरेश कुमार का विशेष योगदान है। वे लगातार इस मुहिम के साथ पूरी सकारात्मकता के साथ जुड़े रहे। जेल के सुपरिंटेंडेंट लखबीर सिंह बरार के सहयोग से ही आज शेरु दुनिया के सामने आ सका है।

Sheru, an inmate lodged in  Ambala’s Central Jail, has composed a song on Covid-19. The jail radio has given him a new identity and now he is also a lyricist and singer. 40-year-old Sheru is serving 10-year sentence in Central Jail Ambala.  He was selected as a Radio jockey for Jail Radio in December 2020 along with 47 inmates from jails of Haryana.  These inmates were trained by Dr. Vartika Nanda,. She is a prison reformer and Tinka Tinka is her series on Indian jails. In 2019, she started radio in District Jail, Agra, located in the oldest jail building in the country. She has been honoured with the Stree Shakti Award from the President of India in 2014. Her work on prisons has twice found a place in the Limca Book of Records. Currently, she heads the Department of Journalism in Lady Shri Ram College, University of Delhi. She hasconceptualised prison radios in Haryana. Audio  editing of the song is done by Harsh Vardhan. The song is released on You Tiube and Spotify.

The release of the song has been applauded by both jail authorities and inmates. While releasing this song, Jail Superintendent Shri Lakhbir Singh Brar said, "Everyday during my daily morning round, I see all the 6 inmates engrossed in the radio room engaged in their creative work related to jail radio. While the rest four are busy writing and presenting for the radio broadcasts, Sheru is generally occupied in writing songs. Release of Sheru's song will certainly boost morale of the rest of the inmates."

Ambala Jail Radio was inaugurated on 26 February this year by Shri Rajiv Arora IAS, Additional Chief Secretary (Home and Jail) and Shri K Selvaraj, IPS, Director General of Prisons, Haryana

सेंट्रल जेल के दस्तावेजों में उनका नाम माखनलाल चतुर्वेदी पिता नंदलाल, उम्र 32 वर्ष, निवास स्थान थाना जबलपुर लिखा हुआ है। उनका क्रिमिनल केस नंबर 39 था। 1 मार्च 1922 को उन्हें केंद्रीय जेल जबलपुर स्थानांतरित कर दिया गया। इनका कैदी नं. 1527 था। जेल में ही उन्होंने लिखी थी- पुष्प की अभिलाषा-  मुझे तोड़ लेना बनमाली उस पथ पर तुम देना फेंक मातृभूमि पर शीश चढ़ाने जिस पथ जाएँ वीर अनेक   तिनका तिनका मध्य प्रदेश पर जब काम हुआ तो ऐसी कई प्रेरणादायी सूचनाओं का संसार मेरे सामने खुलता गया। समझ में आया कि जेल सृजन की स्थली भी बन सकती है। उसी तरह से कई बार बाहर की जिंदगी भी सिर्फ जेल हो सकती है।  बस, समय की जमीन पर कान रखने हैं और मन की लौ जलानी है। ऑडियो संपादन- हर्षवर्धन का है।

Shri K. Selvaraj, DG, Prisons, Haryana is the man who gave birth to prison radios in the state. Under his able leardership, prison radio has already been launched in 7 out of 19 jails and rest all are in offing. Today, on his superannuation, Tinka Tinka Foundation is joining the officers and inmates of jail to offer respect. Few officers are able to create such an impact in the lives of inmates.  Please accept gratitude from Shri Jai Kishan Chhillar, Shri Lakhbir Singh Brar, Shri Devi Dayal, Sunil Sangwan, Shri Harinder Singh, Shri Deepak Singh, Shri Amit Bhadu, Shri Sher Singh, Shri Satvinder Kumar, Shri Sanjeev Budhwar, Shri Sanjeev Budhwar, Ms. Shaliakshi Bhardwaj and the entire team.   Wish you all the best Sir.

मैं बात जेलों की करती हूँ।  लेकिन अब जेल हर तरफ है। इसलिए आज की बात उन सभी के लिए जो जेल में हैं। वे जेल जिसमें दिखती हैं सलाखें और वो जेल भी जिसमें सलाखें दिखती तो नहीं और वो ज़िंदगी भी सलाखों से काम बदतर नहीं। यह कोरोना की बनाई हुईं जेलें हैं। इसलिए आज मेरी बात के दायरे में है सांसें।  यह वक्त मुश्किल है पर साँसे फिर से दम भरेंगी। वो फिर से उठेंगी, फिर चलेंगी, बहेंगी, झूमेंगी, गुनगुनाएंगी। इस पॉडकास्ट का ऑडियो संपादन हर्षवर्धन ने किया है।

एक बार फिर लॉकडाउन की बात हुई और फिर बहुतों को अपनी जिंदगी जेल सरीखी लगने लगी है। पर क्या जो हम सोचते हैं, वही जेल है। इस पर वर्तिका नन्दा की लिखी कुछ पंक्तियां। इस कविता को हाल में साहित्य अकादमी ने समकालीन भारतीय साहित्य में प्रकाशित किया है। य़ह विशेष है, इसलिए इसे विशेष तवज्जो देकर सुनिएगा। शायद आपकी मुलाकात किसी परिचित से हो जाए जो खुद जेल में बंद हो। This podcast is edited by Harsh Vardhan.

On the day of Holi,  10 Radio Jockeys from Karnal Jail are doing the dry run of their soon-to-be-launched Jail Radio. These 10 inmates were part of the Radio Skill Production Training conceived and given by Prison Reformer Vartika Nanda.  Jail radio has already been started in  Panipat, Faridabad and Ambala jails in Phase I. Phase II shall cover Karnal, Rohtak , Gurugram and Central Jail number 1, Hisar. First Prison Radio in Haryana was inaugurated in Panipat Jail by Shri Ranjeet Singh, Jail Minister, Haryana, Shri Rajeev Arora, IAS, ACS, Home & Health, Jail Department, Government of Haryana and Shri K. Selvaraj, IPS, Director General of Prisons, Haryana.

Shri Amit Kumar, Superintendent Jail, Karnal and Ms Shailakshi Bhardhwaj, DSP have worked hard to make the Karnal Jail Radio a success.  Mukesh, Vivek Bharti, Dr Amit, Virendra, Sonia, Shiksha, Sonia Chaudhary, Aarti and Jyoti are the key players of the Karnal Jail Radio.  This video is a special tribute to all those who are spending their lives in jail and want to start afresh, This Podcast is edited by young enthusiast Harsh Vardhan. Tinka series is dedicated to prison reforms in India.

Presenting to you the journey of the initiatve of prison radio in the 7 jails of Haryana. This is a story of hard work and dedication of a small team. Started with 21 inmates lidged in Haryana Prisons, this resulted in the actual launch of PRISON RADIO in 3 jails of Haryana.  Credit goes to Shri Rajiv Arora, IAS, ACS, Home & Health, Shri K. Selvaraj, IPS, DG, Prisons and Superintendents of these jails- Shri Jai Kisan Chillar, Shri Lakhbir Singh, Shri Deepak Sharma, Shri Harender Singh, Shri Sunil Sangwan and  Shri Devi Dayal. First prison radio in Haryana was inaugurated in Panipat Jail on January 16 by the Jail Minister Shri Ranjit Singh and ACS, Home, Rajiv Arora. This prison radio is the brain child of prison reformer Vartika Nanda.

Tinka Tinka is on its journey to bring out creativity in jails. Starting from 2013, Tinka Tinka has been able to bring music to the lives of several jails. This podcast brings forward the journey of Tinka music in jails. This episode is edited by Harsh Vardhan. You may find a glimpse of various songs written by Vartika Nanda and sung in the jails in different intervals.