Mumbai, Oct 11 (IANS): The Indian public broadcaster Prasar Bharati is set to launch a new series titled ‘Kargha, Stories from the Loom’ showcasing the rich textile heritage of Maharashtra.

The series has been made in collaboration with the Department of Textiles. This upcoming fictional series will follow the untold stories behind the intricate motifs and traditional looms, highlighting the artistry and craftsmanship of India’s talented weavers.

The series aims to create a valuable archive of this culturally significant craft, inviting audiences to appreciate the cultural importance and timeless beauty woven into every piece.

Prasar Bharati is a statutory autonomous body set up by an Act of Parliament. It consists of the Doordarshan television broadcasting and Akashvani, which were earlier media units of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. The Parliament of India passed the Prasar Bharati Act to grant this autonomy in 1990, which came into force on September 15, 1997.

In the light of digital revolution and the 4G and the subsequent 5G expansions in the country, since 2017, Prasar Bharati has shifted its focus to digital first which has rendered promising results with a digital network spread across more than 300 Twitter handles, 190 YouTube channels, multiple news websites and NewsOnAir App with more than two million downloads. The digital network viewership growth has witnessed a 66% rise since 2017.

Now Digital stream has become integral to all Prasar Bharati activities with daily 800+ digital uploads happening across the network. NewsOnAir App has been a game-changer with 270+ radio and TV live-streams.

The broadcaster also holds India's oldest and biggest audio-visual Archives with Prasar Bharati's National Archives. The body has an exclusive collection of rare recordings of historical value – interviews, documentaries, features, music, radio plays, etc. It is a treasure trove of not only the memorable performances of the great artistes.