Music in Jail

2019 – present: More than a dozen songs have been released from different jails since the inception of prison radio in 2019.  Sheru from Central Jail, Ambala and Kashish from District Jail, Panipat are all set to bring out their musical albums. Sheru and Kashish became stars overnight with their songs reaching the international platforms. Sheru’s song on corona awareness was highly appreciated by the Union Health Minister and this prompted judicial officers visiting and applauding Sheru for his work. The song was released on Tinka’s YouTube channel on 22 May, 2021 and was heard by a wider audience, both inside and outside the jail.  More than 80 episodes of Tinka Jail Radio podcasts have been released till March 2024.

Tinka Tinka Tihar (2013) was the first song that laid foundation to music in jail. Tinka Tinka Tihar was published as a book and later a song was written with the same title. 

Tinka Tinka Foundation attempts to create  rainbows in jails, providing hope and support to the dark and monotonous lives of  inmates. Prison Radios turned out to be one of the most effective initiatives by the foundation. Radio and music are indispensable, and henceforth, providing a platform for musical artistry to take place parallelly.  This has been a sustained effort as part of recreating life in prisons. 

Tinka Prison Radio is working on a Tinka Model of Prison Radio, helping inmates bring out their creative and academic talents. Jail Music is one of them.  This journey has touched and impacted several jails since then. 

Tinka Tinka Jail Radio।Ep 84। Tinka Tinka Tihar। Song completes 10 years।Tinka Tinka Foundation

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Tinka Jail Radio। Ep 81आए अवध में राम। Prayers from Jind Jail।Tinka Tinka Foundation। Vartika Nanda

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Tinka Jail Radio: Podcast 77: District Jail, Jind and District Jail, Dehradun: Released on 25 December, 2023

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Tinka Jail Radio: Podcast 75: Central Jail, Bilaspur: Released on 30 October, 2023

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Tinka Tinka Bandini Awards: An inmate from Bilaspur Jail

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Tinka Jail Radio: Podcast 67: Tinka Tinka Dasna: A musical confluence of two jails: Released on 30 June, 2023

Tinka Jail Radio: Podcast 23: National Broadcasting Day: 10 inmates: District Jail, Karnal: Released on 23 July, 2021

Theme song of the jail released

10 inmates lodged in District Jail, Karnal jointly composed and sung the theme song of Karnal Jail. It was released today in the jail radio room.  The lines of the song are – Toofano se rooke na, honsala na ye kam, Udaano kea age humari , lage aasman bhi ye kam

Tinka Jail Radio: Podcast 22: Nelson Mandela Day: Kashish: District Jail, Panipat: Released on 18 July, 2021

Release of song on Nelson Mandela Day

तिनका तिनका फाउंडेशन ने जिला जेल पानीपत में बंद कशिश का लिखा और गाया गाना देश के नाम समर्पित किया है। गाने की पंक्तियां हैं- तिनका जेल रेडियो ये लेकर आया है, नई आषाएंॅ नई उमगें साथ लाया है, जिसको सुनकर मन में खुषशियां छा जाएगी, पानीपत जेल रेडियो आवाज लाया है।  कुछ नया सीखने को यहां पर ही मिलेगा, कुछ बनने का मौका भी यहां पर मिलेगा, सोच बदल जाएगी तू खुष हो जाएगा, पानीपत जेल रेडियो आवाज लाया है। 

Tinka Jail Radio: Podcast 20: Song on Corona: Jitendra: District Jail, Rohtak: Released on 21 June, 2021

Prayer by inmate Jitendra on Corona free India

On the occasion of World Music Day, Tinka Tinka Foundation has released a Ragini (folk song of Haryana) by Jitendra, titled, “Corona”. Jitendra is an inmate lodged in District Jail Rohtak. In this folk song, he prays for a prosperous and jubilant nation. The main lines of the song are- Manai mod diyon ne mera desh usa, a few years ago happy jisa (Bring me back the country just as it was happy a few years ago). Both these songs were liked, shared and commented on by Union Health Minister, Dr. Harsh Vardhan on his various social media accounts.
Prayer by inmate Jitendra on Corona free India

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JITENDRA FACEBOOK
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Tinka Jail Radio: Podcast 16: Central Jail, Ambala: Song on Corona by Sheru: Released on 22 May, 2021

Release of song on Covid-19 from jail

Sheru, an inmate lodged in Ambala’s Central Jail, has composed a song on corona. The jail radio has given him a new identity and now he is also a lyricist and singer. This musical video has been released today by Central Jail Ambala and Tinka Tinka Foundation and is uploaded on You Tube platform. The song, written in Punjabi, revolves around creating awareness on Covid- 19. Its initial words are- Corona to bach bandya, pata nahi kadon kainoo lag jana. Muh te mask laga le toon, nahi te tu duniya to jaana.

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Citations and References: Music in Jail

  1. Tinka Tinka Jail Radio. Episode 84: Tinka Tinka Tihar: Song Completes 10 Years.Tinka Tinka Foundation. March 28, 2024: https://youtu.be/uVYGZoWerPA?si=uZXZIJqsMcJv8-gq
  2. Tinka Jail Radio. Episode 81. “आए अवध में राम: Prayers from Jind Jail.” Tinka Tinka Foundation. Vartika Nanda. January 21, 2024: https://youtu.be/333LGapSFDc?si=1gHsWn4ZD2E6X5yn
  3. Tinka Jail Radio. Podcast 77. “District Jail, Jind and District Jail, Dehradun.” Released on December 25, 2023: https://youtu.be/dsL1Ddq7q8c?si=kUgmh-T2oFxkooah
  4. Tinka Jail Radio. Podcast 75: Central Jail, Bilaspur. Released on October 30, 2023: https://youtu.be/snmf7c-pZRU?si=0VrrvmdUlTI-X05F
  5. Tinka Tinka Bandini Awards. An inmate from Bilaspur Jail. June 5, 2018: https://youtu.be/i3312Wo0ngQ?si=N4yE8rS-i7I3VX_U
  6. Tinka Jail Radio. Podcast 67. Tinka Tinka Dasna: A Musical Confluence of Two Jails..Released on June 30, 2023: https://youtu.be/BFHGZXweLnk?si=9RSLgwSjbsYDLBh2
  7. Tinka Jail Radio. Podcast 23. National Broadcasting Day: 10 Inmates: District Jail, Karnal. Released on July 23, 2021. Theme song of the jail released: https://youtu.be/oE187L3eJqA?si=lWkWxLWuHFPyckTB
  8. Tinka Jail Radio. Podcast 22. Nelson Mandela Day: Kashish: District Jail, Panipat. Released on July 18, 2021. Release of song on Nelson Mandela Day: https://youtu.be/j3I_urizKGU?si=meIMjJeBoceTbmmT
  9. Tinka Jail Radio. Podcast 20. Song on Corona: Jitendra: District Jail, Rohtak.  Released on June 21, 2021. Prayer by inmate Jitendra on Corona-free India: https://youtu.be/AVvYWcoZHzI?si=f4AlcFBnhEQKnO2t
  10. Tinka Jail Radio. Podcast 16. Central Jail, Ambala: Song on Corona by Sheru. Released on May 22, 2021: https://youtu.be/aObMkGTcNQc?si=TNJ6QCixxMHdBwG0

Websites:

– Vartika Nanda. www.vartikananda.com

– Tinka Tinka Foundation. www.tinkatinka.org

Blog:

– Dr. Vartika Nanda: Media Educator & Prison Reformer. www.vartikananda.blogspot.com. Search results for “Raniyan”.

Google Link:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vartika_Nanda