Saeeda Bano: Remembering India’s First Female Radio Newsreader

On August 13, 1947, Saeeda Bano became the first woman radio newsreader in India. As we celebrate World Radio Day today, it is only apt that we remember and cherish the glass ceiling broken by Bano, who witnessed not only India's Independence but also the horrors of partition all the while dealing with a broken marriage and raising two sons on her own.

Get To Know Saeeda Bano, India's First Woman Radio Newsreader

Born in Bhopal, Saeeda Bano pursued her education in Lucknow, where she was more drawn to sports than academics. However, societal norms took precedence over her aspirations, and in 1933, she was married off to an affluent judge from Lucknow against her will. At just 19, she resisted by writing a four-page letter opposing the proposal, but her objections were ignored.

Her memoir, Dagar Se Hat Kar, captures the suffocation she felt under the rigid traditions of Nawabi culture in Lucknow. Quoting Mirza Ghalib, she expressed, "Phir waza-e-ahteyat se... rukne laga hai dum." (I am so consumed with the anxiety of being discreet; I feel suffocated.)

Determined to chart her own course, Bano left her marriage, sent her elder son to boarding school, and moved to Delhi with her younger son. She stepped into history when she became the first woman to read a news bulletin in Urdu on All India Radio (AIR).

After her debut broadcast, The Statesman recognised her achievement with a special mention. Her rich and powerful voice soon led to multiple assignments, and she eventually became the producer of "Delhi-Suni," a five-minute program on AIR.

While she was making strides in her career, not everyone was ready to accept her success. She received marriage proposals from admirers, but at the same time, she also faced hostility, with some urging her to leave for Pakistan. Despite the challenges, she stood her ground and continued her journey in broadcasting.

After retiring as a newsreader in 1965, she continued working well into her 70s as a producer for AIR’s Urdu service. Her career officially ended in 2001, but her legacy remained.

A Life Beyond Convention

Bano’s memoir was later translated by her granddaughter, Shahana Raza, as Off the Beaten Track: The Story of My Unconventional Life. Her story is a testament to resilience and courage, proving that women who dare to challenge traditions can change history.

In an interview Raza recalls that her grandmother didn’t need male approval or support. "She led her own life, ate her own meals, drove (till she could, then had a driver), lived alone, entertained like a queen!" In a separate interview, Raza said, "Did Saeeda Bano consider herself a feminist? I don’t know that for sure, but she most definitely knew she was ahead of her times..."