The Satellite Instructional Television Experiment (SITE) begins on August 1, 1975. During this year-long Experiment, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), jointly with the All India Radio (AIR), will broadcast instructional television programme through a Satellite. The Satellite-Applications Technology Satellite (ATS-F) is made available to India by the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

The Experiment is designed to expose people of far-flung rural areas, especially those poorly served by other means of communication, to educational TV programme without the medium of ground­ based TV relay stations. Up-to-date news and instructional programmes or agriculture, health, hygiene, family planning, nutrition and primary education will be transmitted to the satellite from the prime earth station at the Space Applications Centre, ISRO, Ahmedabad. The satellite will re-transmit the programmes to ISRO­ designed community TV receivers in about 2,400 villages in Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa and Rajasthan.

National programme routed via the satellite will be re-broadcast to ordinary TV sets in developed areas around Delhi, Amritsar and Ahmedabad. Simultaneously, these programmes will be received in 2,400 villages. The Kaira District, neighbouring Ahmedabad, will receive programmes specially designed for this densely populated and progressive agricultural region. This will provide an opportunity to study how TV can also be used to accelerate growth in areas with relatively well-equipped infrastructure.

The SITE will provide necessary insight and experience of the technical, managerial, financial and programme production requirements of the design of a workable national satellite TV system.

The Posts and Telegraphs Department feels greatly privileged to bring out a special postage stamp to mark this event of great significance  to  the  Nation.

Source : Information Folder issued by Indian Posts & Telegraph Department, Government of India