NEW DELHI: All India Radio has won the Asia Pacific Broadcasting Union's ABU Award for Best Children's Programme for 2004. An Oriya musical feature from AIR Sambhalpur, "Dhire Dhire Bahija Pawana" (Blow Blow Thou Serene Air) has been adjudged as the best Children's program of the year.

The 15 minute program focuses on the importance of trees in generating oxygen, so essential for supporting life systems on earth. The program aims to create awareness among children to plant more trees and take care of the environment. The program is written and produced by Padma Lochan Das. Music composition - Prafulla Kumar Mitra.

Doordarshan engineer-in-chief, RK Gupta has received the ABU Award for Excellence in Broadcast Engineering, for his contribution towards development of the television network in India. Doordarshan today operates the second largest terrestrial network in the world after CCTV, China.

The AIR and DD Awards were received by KS Sarma, CEO, Prasar Bharati on 25 September 2004 at the award ceremony held as part of the 41st general assembly of Asia Pacific Broadcasting Union at Almaty, Kazakhastan.

More than 300 broadcasters and administrators attended the three day event. A key focus of the general assembly itself was the challenges facing free-to-air broadcasters in an age of fierce competition.