At the very heart of the special edition contests that we announced for YouTube NextUp India 2019, is the aim to amplify voices of diverse groups and promote inclusivity. NextUp Women to Watch is one such contest that we are hosting to spotlight and support women on YouTube.
Over the years, NextUp has supported many female creators on their journey to success. on YouTube. For instance Sejal Kumar (Class of 2016), one of the most loved lifestyle creators today, reaches 1 million people, and continues to mentor and support the new batches. Another example is Archy J (Class of 2017) who brought bagpipe music to the mainstage in India, and was honoured by the President of India for it. To continue the momentum, the #WomentoWatch edition hopes to create and inspire the next generation of women creators!
For our very first edition of Women to Watch, we received a humbling response from women creators. Hundreds of channels from across the country country sent in their entries, in multiple languages, and covering a diverse mix of genres. Be it breaking gender stereotypes or leading the charge on education; entertaining motovlogging or fitness expertise; uncovering new fashion trends or creating minimalist lifestyle formats -- the entries were a glimpse into the rising power of women on the platform!
Our 12 winners will attend a five-day Creator Camp at the Pop-Up Space in Delhi, at the end of this month. Over the course of the Camp, they will go through sessions on content strategy best practices, well-being and masterclasses on camera work, lighting, editing and production design to help them refine their craft. We will also be hosting past winners as Alumni Mentors to share their journey with the winners. Each winner will also receive a voucher worth INR 1,40,000 for production equipment, to take their channel to the next level!
So here is a sneak peak into what these Women to Watch are all about.
Vitamin Stree: Aims to create a community to facilitate fun educational conversations for women on the web.
Ramsha Sultan: Through her beauty tutorials & talk series, she inspires her viewers to be positive inside out.
Pooja Sachdeva: Pooja weaves stories through poetry and shayari, on important social issues.
Nidhi Mohan Kamal: Confused about fitness, yoga or lifestyle? Here is a professional nutritionist and trainer, sharing her secrets on her channel.
Tech for Luddites: The tech-savvy Sira breaks down all things technology, news, science on her channel.
Unmasked: This dynamic duo (Prerna and Parul) from Uttar Pradesh will help you put your dancing shoes on through their unique choreographies!
Arati's life: An avid motovlogger and traveller who leaves us enthralled with her zest and vigor!
Shalini Mandal: Skincare, selfcare, fashion and travel go hand-in-hand on Shalini's channel, all the way from Bhopal!
Golgappa Girl: Food & travel lovers unite, because Pooja believes that food connects you with everyone.
Veronica Awungshi: A girl who wears many hats - makeup, everyday life, dance - and vlogs about them all!
CA Rachana Phadke Ranade: Rachana helps make financial literacy and knowledge simple and practical.
Sangeetha's Lifestyle: Organisation, DIY, Indian Decor, with a healthy dose of minimalism, & all in Tamil, is what Sangeetha's channel offers.
A huge congratulations to these wonderful creators! Some of them were also panelists at the recent YouTube EduCon 2019 in Delhi and we can't wait to see the heights they all scale from here. See you at Creator Camp! You can follow along on Twitter at @YTCreatorsIndia for all the exciting updates from our winners on-ground at Camp.
Posted by Marc Lefkowitz, Head of YouTube Creator and Artist Development, APAC
