28-year-old Indian-Australian software engineer has started an app-based Haryanvi radio in Brisbane, Australia.
Originally from Hansi in Hisar district, Arun Malik moved to Brisbane nine years ago.
He moved to Australia for higher education and then started his career as a software engineer.
One day, Arun requested an Indian radio channel in Brisbane to play a Haryanvi song.
But his request was declined and he was asked to choose a Bollywood song instead.
Arun started working on a radio app dedicated to Haryanvi language. 
After almost one-and-a-half-year long research and development, Arun came with Radio Kasoot.
Arun Malik Source: Arun Malik
Arun says “Kasoot in Haryanvi translates to amazing or awesome.’
The app has registered more than 40,000 downloaded since it started in 2016.
“Every program in our radio channel is in Haryanvi. People from Haryana living abroad speak English at workplace and Hindi at home. They are missing the connection with the local language. The radio is getting popular there now,” Arun adds.
Arun started the venture by himself and now he has a team of 10 people working with him.
He is hopeful that the team will grow and one day Kasoot will have a mobile radio studio in every country where there is sizeable number of Haryanvi speakers.
Radio Kasoot now airs several programs in Haryanvi across Australia.
He adds that this Haryanvi language radio app has talkback, on demand, comedy, spiritual, and women empowerment programs.
“The radio app airs a segment ‘Mhara Haryana mhari behan’ (our Haryana, our sister), and social issues are taken up in the segment ‘Chaupal’. The radio also has a segment of old raginis (Haryana folk songs) named ‘Bujurgon ke liye bol’ (songs for elderly) dedicated for the elderly. The general entertainment segments are titled ‘dhakhar chutkule’ and ‘kasoota kavi’. Audience can request songs of their choice on Saturday and Sunday in the segment ‘thaari pasand’ (your like),” he adds.
Arun says they are also planning to start a FM radio channel in Haryana.
To know more about Radio Kasoot and Haryanvi community in Australia, listen to Amit Sarwal’s conversation with Arun Malik Umra in SBS Hindi’s Local Talent Series.
