Archive · 21 Dec 2025
Sri Lanka's Radio Service Celebrates 100 Years
Sri Lanka's radio service, which started on December 16, 1925, is celebrating its 100th anniversary.
It was the first commercial short-wave station in Asia and is known for its large collection of songs, including rare Hindi film songs.
The radio service was originally called Radio Ceylon and was very popular in India, especially for its show 'Binaca Geetmala,' which featured Hindi film songs.
Over the years, it has broadcast in various languages and has a rich history of covering major world events.
Today, it continues to broadcast in multiple languages and holds over 70,000 music records, making it one of the best in Asia.
Despite the rise of private radio channels, it remains a beloved institution for many.
Sri Lanka's radio service, now known as the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC), was launched on December 16, 1925, making it the first commercial short-wave station in Asia.
The radio service was originally part of the Department of Telecommunications and was reorganized as 'Radio Ceylon' in 1949, later becoming SLBC in 1967.
It gained immense popularity in India for its 'Binaca Geetmala' show, a weekly countdown of Hindi film songs, which aired from 1952 to 1988.
SLBC boasts the largest library of recorded songs in Asia, including rare Hindi song records and a unique collection of world leaders' voice recordings.
Today, SLBC broadcasts in multiple languages domestically and internationally, and holds over 70,000 music records, continuing to be a significant cultural institution.
- Who
- Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC)
- What
- Celebration of 100 years of radio service
- When
- December 16, 2025
- Where
- Sri Lanka
- Why
- To commemorate the centenary of the first commercial short-wave station in Asia and its significant contributions to radio broadcasting
- Launch Date
- December 16, 1925
- First Commercial Short-Wave Station in Asia
- Yes
- Largest Library of Recorded Songs in Asia
- Yes
- Binaca Geetmala Broadcast Period
- 1952-1988
- Current Domestic Services
- 3 Sinhala, 2 Tamil, 1 English
- Current Foreign Services
- Hindi, Kannada, Telugu, Malayalam
- Number of Music Records
- Over 70,000