Cleaninfluencers in India - Performative Activism vs Impact

Hello connections, For my next story for The Indian Express (Digital), I’m exploring “The Rise of Cleaninfluencers in India.” The idea stems from a recent viral moment where Anand Mahindra shared a video of a 20-year-old from Madhya Pradesh, Bittu Tabahi, who manually cleaned a heavily polluted river. While many praised his effort, his videos sparked a wider debate around performative activism vs genuine impact. I’m looking to speak with: • Content creators involved in public clean-up drives • Environmentalists working on grassroots initiatives • Social media experts tracking digital behaviour and trends • Psychologists who can unpack public reactions and online trolling Please reach out at [email redacted] or DM me. Would really appreciate any leads or connections! #journorequest #indianexpress