MUMBAI: Madurai based community radio - Vaanoli by The  People Association of Rural Development (PARD) was officially inaugurated on 8 September 2009.

It was inaugurated by Madurai district collector  Dr G Nammalvar who opened the recording room and Dr Sundara Aavudaiyappan, Programme Executive, All India Radio, Madurai Radio opened the broadcasting room.

The station was launched in presence of the local village community and local body members from various villages. Naguveer Prakash from Kalanjiam Radio also participated in this programme.

Vaanoli, launched at Pudupatty in Madurai district of Tamil Nadu Pudupatty will cover areas of Tirumanagalam, Kallupatti, Kalibendu and Peraiyur. The station aims to reach 50 villages in these blocks and adjoining areas.

The radio will air content educating the rural community on issues such as health, social awareness, and agriculture. The target audience of the station is rural people, specially women and labourers. Hence, it will promote functional education, legal education and cultural development of the villages and women's empowerment.

CEMCA provided the Pard community radio with the initial training. The radio station started its broadcast for four hours initially from 3 pm to 7 pm and would soon extend the broadcast.

PARD had applied for a CR license in March 2007 and it received the Letter of Intent from I&B ministry in May 2008. It will start the transmission by August or the first week of September 2009.