The Age Of Influencers

A Tribe Of Young, Educated Internet Warriors Is Shaping Public Opinion With Curated Videos On Social Media Platforms

- Suhani Singh, Kaushik Deka, Anilesh S. Mahajan, Arkamoy Datta Majumdar and Debjani Saha

UNTIL LAST YEAR, DHRUV RATHEE WAS CONTENT BEING AN "EDUCATOR" ON YOUTUBE, sharing videos on a variety of subjects that served as "explainers that inspire". Then came an episode that Rathee, much like the Supreme Court of India, saw as a "murder of democracy". It was the widely-circulated video clip of Anil Masih, returning officer for the January 30 Chandigarh mayoral poll, defacing eight ballot papers, resulting in the win of the BJP candidate over his AAP counterpart. Since then, the 29-year-old engineering postgraduate's team, comprising 10-15 researchers and editors, has been rigorously scouring articles and videos for credible data and help Rathee prepare a script that can serve as "explainers that alarm".

Swimming Against the Tide

The Left's voice of reason, the right's favourite punching bag, Dhruv Rathee in the past three months has seen his popularity soar, commenting on a host of subjects such as the farmers' protest, the agitation in Ladakh, electoral bonds and doing a series of videos on the alleged dangers posed by the Narendra Modi-led government.

Holding a master's degree in mechanical and renewable energy engineering, he refuses to subscribe to any labels. "Rationalism, liberty, freedom of speech, respect for all religions, tolerance and progress for nation are values I believe in and it's where my ideology lies," says Rathee, who dates his interest in politics to the 2011 anti-corruption movement. Ask him if he'd consider a career in politics, and he says he has no interest currently, only to clarify, "Who knows 30-40 years from now things change and situations too?"