In the initial phase, the main purpose of establishing Doordarshan in India was:

In its initial phase Doordarshan was set up mainly for education and awareness among the rural population.

Launched as an experimental service in 1959, its early aim was developmental and instructional rather than commercial.

Delivering news was not its founding purpose, since a full news service developed only later.

Entertainment programming grew afterwards and was not the original rationale for the medium.

Scientific development was not the stated founding goal, though educational telecasts touched such themes.

The early emphasis lay on educating and informing village communities for social development.

This developmental broadcasting reflected the public-service model of Indian television.