Opinion National Interest PoV 50-Word Edit

ThePrint On Camera Videos In Pictures

Society & Culture Around Town Book Excerpts Vigyapanti The Dating Story

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Opinion National Interest PoV 50-Word Edit

ThePrint On Camera Videos In Pictures

Society & Culture Around Town Book Excerpts Vigyapanti The Dating Story

More Judiciary Education YourTurn Work With Us Campus Voice

Alankar Mishra is India’s newest rural gyani influencer. People compare him to Shakespeare

The videos have some permanent fixtures: a blue or brown banyan, a half-smoked joint, and the aura of a man who has cracked the code.

If the internet is to be believed, Socrates has reincarnated as a lanky Indian man to save our collapsing society. This new-age philosopher makes Instagram Reels where he stares directly into his camera and serves conversational poetry. From love to music to god to hunger—you name it, he has talked about it.

High on swagger (and whatever else he smokes in his videos), Alankar Mishra is the desi philosopher we need—and maybe don’t deserve.

In the Viral Spiral of this gyani rural influencer, some things are permanent fixtures: a blue or brown banyan, a half-smoked joint or beedi, and the aura of a man who has cracked the code. Whether of the universe or just the algorithm, I can’t be certain.

In his most popular video, nearing 2 million views, Mishra walks amid trees in his vest, shirt carelessly thrown on his shoulder.

“Janta ka kya hai,” he begins, staring........

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