“Join my channel” Ravish Kumar appeals viewers as he scales 8M subscribers on YouTube
Kumar's channel reached 8 million subscribers in one year's span since he joined YT
New Delhi: Ravish Kumar, the former Executive Editor of NDTV and renowned Indian journalist, has achieved a milestone with his YouTube channel crossing 8 million subscribers. The accomplishment comes just over a year after Kumar officially launched his channel in October 2022. Notably, he commenced publishing videos on the platform after announcing his resignation from NDTV on December 1, 2022, through a video post.
In a recent video expressing gratitude to his viewers, Kumar thanked them for their unwavering support. He encouraged more people to subscribe to his channel and emphasized the importance of viewers "Joining" the channel on YouTube, a feature that allows users to support creators through paid memberships.
Known for his incisive commentary and independent perspective, Kumar's YouTube channel has become immensely popular, attracting millions of views for most of his videos. The veteran journalist, based in Uttar Pradesh, Northern India, had dedicated 27 years to NDTV, where he held the position of senior executive editor and anchored several flagship shows.
The decision to resign and venture into the digital media came amid a challenging period for Kumar. Apart from personal challenges, including his mother's illness in Bihar, he faced death threats on his personal phone from supporters of Prime Minister Narendra Modi due to his political coverage. Additionally, NDTV was grappling with a hostile takeover by Adani Group, known for its close association with the prime minister.
Choosing his YouTube channel as the platform to announce his departure, Kumar maintained his composure, expressing gratitude to viewers for their decades-long support. In his resignation speech, he likened the situation to a bird losing its nest to external forces. Kumar also issued a warning about authoritarian forces dividing the country and lamented the state of journalism in India, describing it as the "dark age of journalism."
Ravish Kumar is leading a growing trend among Indian journalists who have departed mainstream media organizations in recent years, opting to establish a presence on YouTube and other social media platforms. This shift is seen as a response to the challenges faced by noncompliant media organizations in the current political climate in India.
“As the country approaches the general election anticipated in April or May 2024, where Prime Minister Modi seeks a third term, social media platforms like YouTube are increasingly becoming vital spaces for journalists to share unbiased news and maintain their journalistic endeavors,” a report of “Rest of World” mentioned earlier this week.
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Dense fog disrupts operations at Delhi airport; 228 flights cancelled, 5 diverted
New Delhi (PTI): Dense fog disrupted flight operations at Delhi Airport on Monday, with various airlines cancelling 228 flights and diverting five to nearby airports due to low visibility, an official said.
However, except for Air India, which had in an X post in the morning announced the cancellation of some 40 flights, no other airlines, including crisis-hit IndiGo, shared the numbers of their cancelled or delayed flights.
"As many as 228 flights -- 131 departures and 97 arrivals-- have been cancelled due to low visibility, so far," the airport official said.
In addition to this, five flights have been diverted so far, he said.
Earlier, the Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL), in a statement, said, "Our on-ground officials are working closely with all stakeholders to assist passengers and provide necessary support across Terminals.
"Low visibility (below minima), due to dense fog, has severely impacted operations at Delhi and other airports across northern India, which is unfortunately beyond our control," IndiGo said in a statement.
As operations are adjusted to prevailing weather conditions, some flights may experience delays, while a few others may be proactively cancelled during the day to prioritise safety and minimise extended waiting at the airport, the airline said in a statement.
IndiGo, however, did not say how many of its flights were cancelled or delayed.
The airline said its teams are "closely monitoring" the situation and coordinating with Delhi airport.
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IndiGo also said it issued advisories to its customers and "proactively" informing them, to minimise inconvenience.
“Poor visibility due to dense fog in Delhi this morning has impacted flight operations for all airlines. We are closely monitoring conditions and will resume operations as soon as it is safe to do so,” Air India said in a post on X in the morning.
It also said that some flights have been cancelled In the interest of safety, and to avoid prolonged uncertainty for the guests, while listing out some 40 arrivals and departures that it had cancelled for the day.
Delhi airport is the country's busiest, handling around 1,300 flight movements daily.
