With more than 680 million active Internet users, India’s digital population has grown rapidly in recent decades. According to Statista, the average Internet user in the country spends more than three hours a day on social networks. Research reveals that a large proportion of this user base were millennials and Gen Z.
As of 2020, India had the largest number of Facebook users worldwide with close to 300 million users. It also estimates that by 2023 there will be nearly 450 million social media users in the country, up from 326 million in 2018.
In this scenario, the country has also seen the rise of the influencer phenomenon with content creators using social media platforms to interact with a large audience. From fashion, travel, food, and education to finance, content creators are tapping into niches with consistent, ongoing content.
But among the clutter, what also stands out is a group of influential young men and women who are driving change through conversations and debates on topics that go beyond the ordinary. They are asking questions, talking, and seeking answers on topics ranging from mental health, climate change, sustainability, and more.
Here are five female content creators who are striving to be “the change they want to see.”
Prajakta Koli
YouTuber, content creator, actor and change maker – Prajakta Koli has many roles. The 28-year-old has more than 7 million subscribers on YouTube and 4 million on Instagram, and she rose to fame when she channeled her, mostly sane, struck a chord with the audience.
In 2020, Prajakta was part of the Creators for Change YouTube Original Documentary, in which Michelle Obama chatted with content creators like Liza Koshy and Theme Mahlaba. The series followed the experiences of teenage girls in Vietnam, India, and Namibia, overcoming adversity to continue their education.
Prajakta believes that the role of a content creator does not stop at content alone. Over the years, he has spoken out on body shaming, hate speech, internet trolling, transphobia, homophobia, and other pertinent topics. He has also partnered with YouTube for the Social Impact Girls’ Education Campaign with Instagram on their Safer Internet Week campaign and One.org for their Girls’ Education campaign. This year, she was appointed UNDP India Youth Climate Champion to engage with youth and raise awareness of the adverse impacts of climate change, global warming and biodiversity loss felt by all sectors of society.
Shejal Kumar
Sejal Kumar became a content creator in 2014 at the age of 19. With over two million followers, she is one of the most popular content creators in the country.
In 2020, Sejal was one of eight creators from around the world to join the YouTube Creators for Change program with Michelle Obama.
In a previous conversation with His story, he said, “It was a wonderful opportunity that came about randomly. I was happy to support and create content for Michelle Obama’s ‘Girls Education’ movement. My interpretation was that girls’ education begins at home and I demonstrated this through my first song. Aisi Hun and the short film/music video we had shown, the story of a simple Indian girl who finds her way to being the fearless girl she always deserved to be.
Sejal also speaks out on women’s health and runs a health platform, Maitri, along with her mother, Dr. Anjali Kumar, to spread credible health information on women’s health.
Having battled anxiety and depression, Sejal is a strong advocate for mental health awareness and speaks extensively on the subject through her content.
Prableen Kaur Bomrah
A popular fashion and beauty influencer, Prableen Kaur Bomrah is known for her “real, unfiltered approach to beauty.”
As a teenager, Prableen dealt with acne and then a diagnosis of polycystic ovary syndrome. This led to her receiving a lot of trolling and criticism on social media for her looks and the visible acne on her skin.
Eventually, the influencer realized that she needed to be real with her audience.
In a conversation with YourStory, he said, “When you meet someone in person, you want to meet the real person, and that’s what I wanted to be on camera.”
Her first photo with the hashtag #nofilterwithpkb went viral and has spawned a strong community promoting body positivity online.
aastha shah
Aastha Shah, who suffered from vitiligo, became a content creator to harness the power of social media to raise awareness and fight stigma around her skin condition.
Her content is vibrant, wholesome, and seeks to empower people with body positivity posts and videos, especially those who suffer from vitiligo.
The Gen Z influencer recalled in interviews being teased and teased about being called a ‘Dalmatian dog’ and how her body image took a huge hit. Since then, she has branched out into different types of content including dance, fashion, and makeup.
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