Beyond the Number Game: Real Influencers for a Green, Clean and Sustainable Northeast

In today’s world, things are often measured through popularity in the digital world and one’s influence in terms of followers, views and viral reels. With over a billion internet users and nearly 500 million social-media users, India has one of the largest social-media markets in the world, second only to China, valued at over ₹1 trillion. In such a landscape, digital communicators shape opinions at an unprecedented scale.

Yet digital influence has not greatly impacted sectors such as climate change, biodiversity loss, water security and disaster resilience in the same way it has influenced other areas of public life. Despite relatively slower progress in internet penetration in the Northeast as compared to rest of India, the region today has close to 20 million social-media users.

At the national level, a growing cohort of environmental communicators—particularly on YouTube and Instagram—talk about biodiversity and climate change, sensitise people about waste management, emphasise tree plantation, promote sustainable lifestyles, and encourage ethical travel. Such digital engagement matters, it helps translate complex issues into accessible narratives and brings environmental concerns into mainstream conversation. At a time, when climate literacy remains uneven, and climate action is needed to take the forefront for creating a sustainable world, online communication and social media influence can reach millions of young citizens who might otherwise remain disengaged.

But Assam and the Northeast tell another story, here, the real heroes are often unknown outside their communities—unsung, and rarely recognised as influencers. They may not have an online presence or may have a very small following, yet they influence others positively, and their work shapes lives, livelihoods and ecosystems. They are wildlife rescuers, conservationist, teachers, wetland restorers, forest guards, environment educators, community leaders, eco-tourism guides, scientists and volunteers working quietly on the ground.

While things are gradually changing and more travel or culinary content creators are emerging from the region, a fundamental difference remains. In the Northeast, environment is not an abstract cause or a fancy theme. Conservation is rooted in our culture and embedded in indigenous practices. 

Also Read: Climate meets conservation: What COP30 and the IUCN Congress mean for India and Northeast

We need influencers guided by lived experience and trust—not algorithms. We must move away from half-baked or misleading narratives where the wrong people take credit while the real heroes toil elsewhere. And present the real picture from the ground, not what suits them.

In this age of fast fashion, fast food and fast information, there is little patience to invest in research or understand lived realities. When Gen-Z lives online, many local change-makers and conservation heroes of the Northeast continue their work offline, unaware of the hustle of the digital world. Their contributions surface only occasionally—during disasters, crises, or sometimes even after their passing.

Take the example of Assam’s beloved musician and humanist Zubeen Garg, one of the most prolific influencers of our times, when he passed away last year, the world outside Northeast suddenly woke up in awe and shock, trying hard to fathom, why on earth people could love someone so much.

Within Assam, however, his influence had long been known—not just as a singer, but as someone, who created extraordinary causes in the times of need. But outside the northeast, it was just another name and another singer. His appeal was built on trust and connection; long before the age of social media, he had attained a cult-like popularity in the state

A viral post about an unexplored destination or a calamity may gain millions of views, but it may not draw as many volunteers or resources as a trusted local voice can. However, one shout out by Zubeen Garg brought thousands together for flood relief or tree plantation drives.

The online space can sometimes be misleading and even cruel. An Instagrammer or YouTuber may be celebrated for a story they share or trolled for sharing a bitter truth while the real protagonists remain quietly at work on the ground. Such imbalance can distort genuine efforts, redirect funding priorities, shape youth aspirations toward visibility rather than service, and unintentionally demoralise those doing the hardest work.

At the same time, ignoring digital platforms is neither realistic nor wise. India’s social-media reach means mass level sensitization and awareness generation on climate risks, extreme rainfall to biodiversity loss. Scientific assessments already show increasing extreme weather events across India, with Assam rated as one of the most vulnerable states having to face harsh climate risks. Without digital amplification, stories of communities adapting to overcome such vulnerabilities, mitigation of river erosion or nature conservation practices may never reach national or international attention.

The question, therefore, is not whether we need digital influence, but how we use it. India needs partnerships between real-world conservation leaders, social reformers, development practitioners and digital storytellers with real-life stories woven in local languages and dialects. This will create narratives that highlight solutions, not just crises—crediting local leadership and traditional knowledge.

It is time to reimagine the concept of influence. Forests are not restored by followers. Wetlands are not revived by hashtags. Climate change is not mitigated by re-shares. Biodiversity is not conserved through viral content. Real change is driven by people on the ground—whether or not they have an online presence.

Influence should be measured not in likes, but in lives changed, landscapes restored, wildlife protected and futures secured. In the end, we need influencers who have substance—rooted in humility and guided by courage to serve the society and mother nature. Every person who shapes thought, inspires action and improves lives is an influencer and not someone who has largest following online but are far removed from the reality.


The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of India Today NE or its affiliates.