Urdu Service: An Overview
The Urdu Service of Radio Veritas Asia started its regular services of broadcasting different programmes from 14th August 1987 for the Urdu speaking target audience. This service is functioning under the Pakistan Catholic Bishops’ Conference. Since its beginning, the RVA Urdu Service has regularly been preparing and broadcasting numerous programmes for the youth, women, children elderly people and families.
This service has been playing a vital role to uplift the society in a special way through its programmes on social, religious, moral, educational, informational, formational and inter-religious needs of the listeners. We are proud to state that this service has done well in promoting peace, harmony, brotherhood, love and respect among the people of different faiths.
Historical Overview
When the Urdu Service of Radio Veritas Asia was started, His Excellency Msgr. Armando Trindade (late) was the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Lahore. His Grace Lawrence John Saldanha (Archbishop Emeritus of the Archdiocese of Lahore) was the person who had to take care of the matters related to the RVA Urdu Service. Thus he became the Founder of the service. The first team at Lahore Centre comprised of Raja Harrison, Isaac Samson, Samuel Kiran, Franklin Massey, William Andrew, Gloria Maurice, Sunila Javed and Rev. Fr. Lawrence John Sladanha. The first team at Manila comprised of Mr. Dominic Jacob and Mr. Jerry Douglas. One year later Ms. Meena Noreen joined the Manila team.
Although there were many listeners who started contributed in the mission of RVA Urdu Service from its beginning but Mr. Iftikhar Shah Jan (village Rahuoja, Distt: Larkana, Sindh), Mr. Mani Singh Kalai (Kendrai Chhera, Tripura, India) and Mr. Ilyas Masih (Muzaffar Garrh) were the most prominent of all.
Pervez Rodrick, Nosheen, Fr. Joseph Rafique