DD Tamil (formerly DD Podhigai) is an Indian

Tamil Tamil may refer to: People, culture and language * Tamils, an ethno-linguistic group native to India, Sri Lanka, and some other parts of Asia **Sri Lankan Tamils, Tamil people native to Sri Lanka ** Myanmar or Burmese Tamils, Tamil people of Ind ...

-language

state-owned State ownership, also called public ownership or government ownership, is the ownership of an industry, asset, property, or enterprise by the national government of a country or state, or a public body representing a community, as opposed to ...

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television broadcaster A television broadcaster or television network is a telecommunications network for the distribution of television show, television content, where a central operation provides programming to many television stations, pay television providers or ...

founded by the

Government of India The Government of India (ISO 15919, ISO: Bhārata Sarakāra, legally the Union Government or Union of India or the Central Government) is the national authority of the Republic of India, located in South Asia, consisting of States and union t ...

, owned by

Doordarshan Doordarshan (), abbreviated as DD, is India's State-owned enterprise, state-owned public broadcasting, public television broadcaster. Established by the Government of India on 15 September 1959, it is owned by the Ministry of Information and B ...

. It is broadcast both terrestrially and via satellite. It was established on 15 August 1975. DD Tamil launched its HD version on 19 January 2024.

History

The channel was first launched as Madras Television Centre (Doordarshan Kendra Chennai) on 15 August 1975 as a South Indian First Television Channel and Indian 5th Television Channel. The second channel was launched as DD 2 on 1 June 1988 as an entertainment channel. It started off with a two-hour programming per day. Doordarshan Kendra Chennai's regional satellite network, DD 5, was launched on 15 April 1993. This service is viewed in India and some parts of the world. DD-5 took a new identity in Tamil and was renamed DD Podhigai on 15 January 2000. DD Podhigai was rebranded as DD Tamil HD on 19 January 2024.

History of channel name

The name ''Podhigai'' was suggested by the viewers themselves. It is named after the Podhigai Hills situated in Tirunelveli district. This hill range is part of the Western Ghats of Southern India. This hill range is famous for its association with Sage Agastya. Legend has it that Agastya created Tamil in this hill. The Thamirabarani River originates here. The channel offers a variety of programmes with films, infotainment programmes, news, dramas and current affairs being most prominent. The first Tamil Weekdays serial was telecast on 7 November 1995 as ''Viluthugal''. It is the only regional language satellite channel with terrestrial transmission. Terrestrial transmission is limited to major cities in Tamil Nadu.

Programming

Fiction series

Non-fiction

References

External links

Doordarshan Official Internet site

Doordarshan news site

An article at PFC
{{Terrestrial television channels of India 1993 establishments in Tamil Nadu Doordarshan Foreign television channels broadcasting in the United Kingdom Indian direct broadcast satellite services Television channels and stations established in 1993 Television stations in Chennai