Meet These Influencers Using Social Media For Change!

Mother Teresa once said, “Not all of us can do great things, but we can all do small things with great love.” With the rise of social media, more often than not, the number of followers determines a person’s self-worth. Social media has skewed people’s perspectives, and simple acts of kindness go viral to show that humanity is still alive. This stands as a clear reflection of the direction we are headed toward as a society. However, when social reform was the need of the hour, these influencers were just what we needed! They have gone above and beyond and used social media to wield the social change they aim to see.

1) Licypriya Devi Kangujam (@licypriyakangujam)

Instagram: 58.3K followers

This 12-year-old is a climate activist from India and the youngest globally! She was born on 2nd October 2011 in Bashikhong, Manipur, India. Besides, She is the eldest daughter and hails from a family of the Meitei Ethnicity. She began raising her voice to fight climate change and disaster risk reduction when she was just seven years of age. Back in 2017, she accompanied her father to attend a UN disaster conference in Mongolia. This sparked her desire to fight for the environment, and she began involving herself in social activism.

She soon founded the “Child Movement” and began to raise awareness by urging people to protect and preserve our resources. During the ‘Kerala Floods’ in 2018, she donated her savings of Rs. 1,00,000 towards the cause. She has a heart of gold and has received recognition and multiple awards like the Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Children’s Award (2019), World Children’s Peace Prize (2019), and so many more, for her immense contribution towards environmental protection. The most significant gift that she could receive in return for her commendable efforts would be our support, by protecting the environment and preserving valuable natural resources whenever we can.

2) Pradeep Sangwan (@pradeep_sangwan_):

Instagram: 27.4k followers

Pradeep Sangwan is the founder and promoter of Healing Himalayas Foundation, which has taken over the arduous task of cleaning out the trash from the picturesque Himalayas. He and his team work dedicatedly in the Himalayan Region through planned campaigns to protect the environment, people, and wildlife. They aim to develop an insight into the need to care for the environment from a health, civic, ecological, and spiritual perspective.

They consider the Himalayas sacred, promote ethical traveling to the Himalayan Region, and respect local people’s customs and interests. Through this mission, they have trekked 10,000 km with volunteers and collected over seven hundred tons of non-biodegradable waste from the Himalayas. Together, they embark on arduous journeys and clean-up. Thus far, they have cleared approximately 8,00,000 kgs. of non-biodegradable waste from the foothills of the Himalayas. The team’s upcoming circular vision is to establish ‘material recovery facilities’ at famous tourist hotspots.

3) Vani Murthy (@wormrani):

Instagram: 340K followers

She is the founding member of the Solid Waste Management Roundtable (SWMRT), Bengaluru. Together, they are collective solid waste management practitioners who help citizens and civic municipalities adopt decentralized and sustainable waste management practices. They have worked together to execute various initiatives on how waste can be recycled and turned into a resource instead of just being dumped. She is also a TEDx speaker, composting enthusiast, and urban farmer who is moving towards a low-waste lifestyle. However, She was in her mid-40s when she first learned how to use a laptop but faced no such issue when it came to maneuvering her way around the soil.

She was a homemaker until the urge to do more motivated her to take the leap of faith. Today, she has 344K followers on Instagram, who support her constantly. Their efforts include educating people about the pros and cons of burning waste, waste segregation at source, how to start composing and growing your food at home, sustainable hygiene practices, and building learning centers to create awareness in individuals, communities, and corporations. Today, she has proven that there is always time to start an initiative that you’re passionate about, and her 344K supporters on Instagram think so, too!

4) Dr. Falguni Vasavada (@falgunivasavada):

Instagram: 233K followers

She believes neither motherhood nor marriage defines a person and she couldn’t be more right! Dr. Falguni Vasavada-Oza is an Associate Marketing Professor at MICA. She is a double gold medalist with 17 years of teaching experience in Marketing and Advertising. She promotes body positivity and equity and is a true fashionista. Furthermore, She is often seen posting reels that have broken all stereotypical gender norms and helped people feel better about themselves and confident in their skin. She has acted as a catalyst towards boosting the confidence of many women (and men) online, and today. However, she has gained a loyal fanbase of 233K followers online. She continues to inspire many more!

5) Dr. Tanya Narendran (@dr­­_cuterus)

Instagram: 1.7M followers

Tanya was born in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, to a family of fertility doctors. This exposed her to conversations about sexual health from an early age. She claims not to give medical advice but to spread medical education. Tanya started posting on Instagram in 2020 to combat the misinformation surrounding sexual health online. She busts common misconceptions that people have surrounding sexual health and also provides factual information. Today, she has received recognition globally, and her efforts to combat misinformation are commendable. She is a best-selling author and has published, ‘Dr. Cuterus- Everything Nobody Tells You About Your Body’ in December 2022 to educate people about the importance of sexual health. Today, her concise yet informative content has gained over 1.7M followers online.

These influencers are not just influential; they are a beacon of inspiration. By using their platforms to drive change, they have positively impacted society and sparked a fire of “unity for change” in many. These five influencers, from diverse fields, have shattered norms and are influencing people in the true sense!