After early experiments with recording sound, radio broadcasting began to develop in the late 19th/early 20th century. Key milestones included Marconi sending the first radio signal over 2 miles in 1896, the first radio broadcast occurring on Christmas Eve 1906, and the launch of Sputnik in 1957 with its radio beacon. In India, amateur radio clubs conducted early broadcasts in the 1920s, leading to the formation of All India Radio in 1936 under British rule. AIR played a key role in the independence movement and post-independence nation-building. Through the 20th century, AIR expanded its network across India and introduced new programming.