President Barack Obama and PM Narendra Modi during the recording of 'Mann Ki Baat' in New Delhi.
'Mann ki Baat', The joint radio address of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Barack Obama will be aired at 8 pm on Tuesday and is likely to be of a little more than half-an-hour in duration.
PM Modi tweeted yesterday along with a photograph showing President Obama with him, and wrote: "Sharing our 'Mann Ki Baat' during the recording of the radio programme. Tune in on 27th January at 8 PM IST for the special episode! #MannKiBaat #Radio #USA #India."
Sources said the recording of the programme was done this afternoon at the Hyderabad House and it is going to be approximately 35 minutes in duration, which is longer than PM Modi's previous 'Mann Ki Baat' editions.
The Prime Minister, who conducts the show himself, will be heard speaking both in Hindi, and English and has chosen questions related to the topic of the Indo-US relations, sources said.
This is the first time that 'Mann ki Baat' will have a guest appearing along with PM Modi.
The joint address is slotted to be broadcast on January 27 at 8 pm on All India Radio (AIR), while a regional version will be aired on January 28 at 9 am.
For broadcast of the address in regional languages, there will be a voice which will translate PM Modi's words while another voice will translate what President Obama says, officials said.
Apart from AIR, PM Modi's 'Mann ki Baat' radio addresses were carried widely on Doordrashan as well and several private radio and TV channels.
The Information and Broadcasting Ministry suggested that private radio channels, private news and current affairs TV channels and community radios may also broadcast the same simultaneously by availing free feed from AIR and DD News.
AIR sources also said certain arrangements had been made to ensure that the content of the programme is available outside the country as the upcoming broadcast has generated interest abroad as well.
PM Modi has been addressing the nation over radio every month since October 2014 through the 'Mann Ki Baat' programme and this would be the fourth address by the Prime Minister.
PM Modi had invited questions from the public earlier this month, saying, "'Mann Ki Baat' with President @BarackObama will not be complete without your participation! Send your Qs till the 25th, using #AskObamaModi...AskObamaModi & be a part of this memorable 'Mann Ki Baat' programme, illustrating a special bond between India & USA."
When PM Modi had visited the US in September last year, he and President Obama had written a joint Op-Ed in a major American daily.