logo
Alex Bregman's wife Reagan Bregman leads family outing at Scooper Bowl during Red Sox star's injury break

Alex Bregman's wife Reagan Bregman leads family outing at Scooper Bowl during Red Sox star's injury break

Time of India3 days ago

Reagan Bregman, wife of Red Sox third baseman Alex Bregman, spent a sunny afternoon with her son Knox. The two stepped out in Boston for a fun day together. But it wasn't just about the ice cream.
Tired of too many ads? go ad free now
Reagan and Knox were there to support a special cause. The event also brought together many other families from the community.
Alex Bregman's wife Reagan Bregman joins community event in Boston
Reagan and her son Knox went to the Jimmy Fund Scooper Bowl on Tuesday, June 4. Boston, Massachusetts's City Hall Plaza hosted the event. On her Instagram, Reagan published images from the party. She marked the official Red Sox Families page as well
In her post, she wrote,
'Got out of the house for a great cause today.
The @thejimmyfund Scooper Bowl is a 3-day event to raise money for cancer care and research at @danafarber.'
The Scooper Bowl happens every year. It is a big ice cream festival to help raise money for cancer research. Visitors enjoy unlimited scoops while giving back to a good cause.
Alex Bregman's wife leads family outing at Scooper Bowl during Red Sox star's injury break
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute described it by saying,
'With more than 900 gallons of ice cream brought in each year, attendees can experience the nation's largest all-you-can-eat ice cream festival, all while supporting lifesaving research breakthroughs and care at Dana-Farber.'
Reagan's post showed her and Knox enjoying the sweet treats. It was a happy day for both of them while also helping people in need.
Also Read:
Alex Bregman continues injury recovery
While Reagan and Knox were at the event, Alex Bregman stayed home to recover. The Red Sox star is healing from a quad injury. He got hurt during a game against the Baltimore Orioles on May 23, 2025.
Red Sox manager Alex Cora spoke to the media this week. He shared a positive update about Bregman.
Tired of too many ads? go ad free now
'Getting treatment, feeling better. Good to see him around. Obviously helping everybody. But in good spirits. So it was a good week for him,' Cora said.
This quote was reported by Christopher Smith for MassLive.com.
To cover for Bregman, the team brought up Marcelo Mayer from Triple-A Worcester.
In April 2025, Alex and Reagan welcomed their second child, Bennett. The family is now adjusting to life in Boston with their two boys.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Video Shows People Jumping Over Metro Gates On Day Of Deadly Bengaluru Stampede
Video Shows People Jumping Over Metro Gates On Day Of Deadly Bengaluru Stampede

NDTV

time29 minutes ago

  • NDTV

Video Shows People Jumping Over Metro Gates On Day Of Deadly Bengaluru Stampede

Bengaluru: A video of hundreds of people bypassing metro entry gates on the day of the Bengaluru stampede, which claimed 11 lives, has surfaced on social media. The clip is from June 4, when Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) fans took to the streets to celebrate the team's maiden IPL trophy. In the video, people are seen jumping over the automated fare gates, ignoring ticketing systems altogether. With trains jam-packed, several commuters resorted to jumping barriers to enter or exit platforms. Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) confirmed that the video was from the Majestic interchange on the day of the RCB felicitation ceremony. Around 1,000 people are said to have gained access without paying the required fee. View this post on Instagram A post shared by updatesofbengaluru (@updatesofbengaluru) Many social media users were irked at the lack of civic sense. 'After seeing this, don't blame management or the government. People should have civic sense,' one user said on Instagram. 'I'm from Karnataka, and I feel so sorry after seeing people lacking civic sense. People do not want to pay Rs 20 or Rs 40 metro fare, jumping and damaging the station. People who are seen jumping in this footage must be punished,' wrote a person. One comment read, 'RCB fans seem to disregard fundamental values like civic sense and public responsibility.' 'How much can a crowd be controlled when people lack basic civic sense,' another user said. A person, however, attempted to explain the chaos. The comment read, 'The people had entered the platform, but trains were cancelled for two hours, and they were unable to get out. So, the person making the video was asking the security to open the gates and keep it that way.' The scale of the crowd on June 4 was unprecedented. BMRCL reported record-breaking footfall, with 9,66,732 passengers using the metro. The BMRCL had even announced that, due to the overwhelming surge in footfall for the RCB felicitation event, metro trains would temporarily skip stops at select stations for a few hours. *Metro Service Adjustments for RCB Team Felicitation Function* *Bangalore, June 4, 2025:* Due to the extremely high footfalls for the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) team felicitation function at Vidhana Soudha and Chinnaswamy Cricket Stadium,(1/4) — ನಮ್ಮ ಮೆಟ್ರೋ (@OfficialBMRCL) June 4, 2025 Eleven people died and several others were injured in the crowd crush outside the Bengaluru stadium. The Bengaluru Police has registered an FIR against the RCB franchise; DNA Entertainment Pvt. Ltd., an event management company; and the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) for culpable homicide, illegal assembly, and other serious charges.

The new creator economy: How digital influencers are turning passion into profit
The new creator economy: How digital influencers are turning passion into profit

India Today

time39 minutes ago

  • India Today

The new creator economy: How digital influencers are turning passion into profit

(NOTE: This article was originally published in the India Today issue dated June 9, 2025)I never saw the world beyond my home. I never wished to because I was content with what I had. But, one day, my son said, 'Ma, you cook so well, why don't you share it with the world?' I was shy, afraid of facing the camera, afraid to speak. But, slowly, social media taught me to be seen, to be heard, to be loved.' Fifty-one-year-old Usha Bishayee, better known by her digital moniker@oldays_kitchen, won 430,000 hearts and 4.7 million views with this reel, in which she describes her first trip outside West Bengal, the first flight she took to Mumbai, where she'd eventually meet, and dance, alongside Instagram head Adam is one of India's 4.6 million creators aka influencers for whom video-sharing platforms like YouTube and Instagram have been life-altering. Viewers couldn't get enough of Usha's scrumptious Bengali recipes and soon brand collaborations started streaming in. Today, Usha quotes the price of an iPhone 16—a neat Rs 75,000—to big brands. Son Suprabha handles daily operations, and the duo is looking to hire a manager given the explosion in Usha's rise of creators like Usha is evidence of how Indians are warming up to individuals who want to show their authentic selves, often from the comfort of their homes. It helps that we are second only to Brazilians and Indonesians in time spent online—1.1 trillion hours in 2024 as per consulting firm EY, an average of five hours a day glued to mobile screens, of which 70 per cent is spent on social media, video platforms and gaming. The most populous nation in the world also makes the highest number of Instagram reels and has the most YouTube channels (over 100 million, with over 15,000 having over a million subscribers). Little wonder that digital channels eclipsed TV to emerge as the biggest segment of the media and entertainment (M&E) industry, generating Rs 80,200 crore in revenues in India's creator economy is now seen as a sizeable part of the M&E ecosystem. At the recent World Audio Visual and Entertainment Summit (WAVES) in Mumbai, creators and digital platforms were as much the centre of attraction as Bollywood celebrities. TechnicalGuruji aka Gaurav Chaudhary moderated a panel, food and travel influencer Kamiya Jani aka Curly Tales was part of one; and there was Creatorsphere, a pavilion devoted to the fast-growing industry. In his opening speech, Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the creator community, saying, 'As the orange economy booms, I will tell every young creator in India, whether you are a musician in Guwahati, a podcaster in Kochi or designing a game in Bengaluru, you are all bringing a wave in Indian economy, a wave of creativity.' He also met the 750+ finalists of the Create in India Challenge and announced the establishment of an Indian Institute of Creative Technology in Mumbai, to train a new generation of creators with new skills. ANYBODY CAN BE A CREATOR'You can say that India has become a creator nation without batting an eyelid,' says Ajay Vidyasagar, managing director, YouTube South East Asia and Emerging Markets. 'The sheer energy and speed at which Indian creators are finding their voice and thereon succeeding on a platform like YouTube is extraordinarily inspiring.' In 2022-2024, YouTube paid Rs 21,000 crore to those who create content in India: a sector that includes not just traditional media giants but also a burgeoning band of solo creators and artists. It plans to invest Rs 850 crore in the coming two years to accelerate growth. The magic of India's content creation revolution, feels Vidyasagar, lies in how 'diverse, ambitious and complex' it is and driven by youngsters hungry to learn and grow. 'It's not just one vector, one type of content shining. The plurality of formats and verticals and languages has led to this extraordinary inflection,' he driving this creative explosion? The widespread access to affordable internet and cheaper smartphones certainly, making it easier to consume content on social media. But it is also the lightning speed at which content is being created and going viral, leaving you with no choice but to take note. Take, for instance, the delightful 'Prashant' meme. In this short split-screen English tutorial video—titled 'What is this called?'— young creator Ayush mispronounces an AI-generated enunciation of croissant as Prashant. Ever since it broke the internet in March, the quirky video has amassed over 17 million views, even landing Ayush an ad with Philips Home Living where he relishes, what else, a croissant while promoting an air fascinating is that creators don't even have to follow any logic or lofty standards for their content; anything and everything goes. How else does one explain the virality of Assam's Rajkumar Thakuria, popularly known as Raku Da? A 70-year-old retired banker, his 'cringe pop' renditions with titles like 'You are a doctor, I am a driver', have struck a chord way beyond Northeast India, winning him 80,000+ subscribers on YouTube and 236,000 followers on Instagram. Being seen with creators has now become a means to keep up with pop culture trends and remain relevant. And so it is that Bill Gates is sitting down for an interview with one of India's most popular podcasters, Raj Shamani (10 million YouTube subscribers and growing), as well as having tea made by Dolly Chai Wala (5 million Instagram followers), a Nagpur-based tea-seller known for his flamboyant style and signature way of serving creators are also going places. At the 2024 Paris Olympics, Instagram dispatched Barkha Singh and Karan Sonawane (@focussedindian) as part of its creator squad to create a buzz for the Games with behind-the-scenes content and engaging videos. At Cannes, you now see more creators than film stars on the red carpet. This year, lifestyle creator Sakshi Sidhwani made waves with her Cannes-do spirit and Indian curiosity is not restricted to frivolous or 'so-bad-it's-good' videos. Thousands of creators are leveraging digital platforms to share content, build communities, inspire change and earn a sustainable livelihood. Santosh Jadhav, a farmer from Karve village in Maharashtra, for instance. Known online as @indianfarmer, he has uploaded 5,000+ videos since 2018 as part of his mission to make farming a 'respectable business'. 'I realised kheti [farming] isn't seen as a business. Paisa milta nahin. Shaadi hogi nahin. Market haath mein hai nahin (You won't earn money, won't find a girl to marry and the market is not in your hands). Climate is an issue,' he says. 'Let's change that image. Let's make videos that educate and benefit others.' He and co-founder Akash Jadhav are leading the change. It has got them 4.94 million subscribers on YouTube, a production team in Pune and an annual turnover of Rs 1.5 crore in ad revenue and brand deals. Despite his success, Santosh still works in the fields, growing sugarcane, capsicum, cucumbers and more. 'Our vision is to encourage sustainable and profitable residue-free farming,' he says. The Jadhavs have also pivoted to educational content, launching their first online course—on growing tomatoes—for Rs 2, SHOW ME THE MONEYIn 2017, one already saw sure signs of evolution, with all the popularity inevitably being leveraged and marketised. That year, Viraj Sheth and Ranveer Allahbadia (@beerbiceps) set up Monk Entertainment aka Monk-E, a creative digital media organisation aimed at bridging the gap between influencers and brands. Today, it represents some 120 creators across domains that include food, beauty, fashion, travel, lifestyle, podcast and technology. Among them is fashion creator Nancy Tyagi, who turned heads at Cannes last year with a striking pink gown that she designed herself. 'Content creators are like five companies packed into one,' says Sheth. 'For brands, it reduces their cost significantly, gives them better relatability with audiences and facilitates far more ease of communication.' It's why they are choosing creators over the pricey, even fussy, Bollywood and sports celebs for quicker, targeted Covid pandemic deepened the trend, opening up a wealth of opportunities for creators, primary among them a captive audience seeking to escape the dystopia outside. With access to celebrities restricted, brands increasingly turned to creators who not only acted, directed and distributed their content, but also had an active online presence and highly engaged marketing is not just empowering creators but also translating into money. The Goat India Influencer Marketing Report, 2025, valued the industry at Rs 3,600 crore in 2024, projected a growth of 25 per cent in 2025. 'The new marketing model has evolved from just building brand salience to capturing attention and driving engagement. Influencers have been central to this shift by creating authentic, relatable relationships with their followers,' says Pratik Ved, vice president—skin care, Hindustan Unilever Limited. HUL has collaborated with digital creators like Ankush Bahuguna and Komal Pandey for campaigns across brands such as Dove, Simple, Ponds and Vaseline. 'It's no longer just about follower count,' Ved adds. 'We look for influencers whose values align with the brand, who speak authentically, and who have a meaningful connection with their audience.'According to industry insiders, a beauty, fashion and lifestyle creator with a million followers and engagement of 50,000-700,000 views can earn Rs 5-10 lakh for a reel and Rs 2-3 lakh for an Insta story. Meanwhile, a popular entertainment creator with the same reach can earn Rs 80 lakh-1.5 crore a year. Instagram also has 'Born on Instagram', which connects brands to creators, and a Creator Marketplace to further strengthen the partnership. Among its benefeciaries is Pune's Madhura Bachal (@madhurarecipe Marathi), 45, who best demonstrates the entrepreneurial streak of India's creators. One of the earliest to join YouTube back in 2008 with the goal of putting Maharashtrian cuisine on the world map, the former banker began by shooting videos when her baby was asleep. In 2016, she realised she would gain subscribers far more quickly if she went local, and so started another channel in Marathi. Today, apart from running three channels and writing 12 books, Madhura has her own line of spices and kitchen appliances, which she retails online. 'I am making more as a content creator than I did as a banker,' she says, revealing how she makes a six to seven-figure sum monthly from brand collaborations and content monetisation. It is a matter of intense pride and joy when she sees popular food creators like chef Ranveer Brar, YourFoodLab and Kabita's Kitchen post Maharashtrian everyone is in it for the money, though. For 'changemaker' influencers, it's about doing the right thing. Take environmentalist Malhar Kalambe, for instance, who organises beach clean-ups. Or Siddhesh Lokare (@sidiously), who ties up with brands to help those on the fringes and spotlight stories of everyday heroes. In the case of Revant Himatsingka (@FoodPharmer), revenue comes less from brands and more from speaking engagements for corporates and colleges. More than the views, it's the impact his videos have that matter more to Revant, his most recent success being the CBSE mandating a 'sugar board' in all its schools—highlighting the sugar content in soft drinks—in response to his #SugarBoardMovement. The move even merited a mention in an episode of PM Modi's Mann Ki Baat programme. THE MORE THE MERRIERIt's a myth that India's creator economy is primarily a Gen Z phenomenon or that it has a predominantly metro presence. It's an industry that welcomes everyone. Have a shooting device, an internet connection and a modicum of talent, good or bad, and you're on. Rupali Singh (@sad_rupaa) from West Medinipur in Bengal is happiest when she is creating Insta reels and YT shorts dancing to Hindi songs—her 'Tauba Tauba' jig with her two sons notched up 88.2 million plus Bhabda's mimicry skills are so impressive that L'Oreal placed her with its brand ambassador Alia Bhatt on a couch and had her imitating the actress pitch-perfectly, to much laughter. 'Once I have cracked the voice and the character, I just start rolling,' says the 25-year-old, whose love for impersonations dates back to when she'd mimic her teachers at school. From living in rented accommodations for 18 years, Chandni's work on social media today has earned her enough money to buy her own pad in Mumbai suburb Andheri. Says Chandni, 'I want to feel something and then make it. I want to tell stories. Brands love me for that. You give me a timeline, I will make it happen with no compromise on quality.'The democratic nature of the platforms has given wings to not just Gen Z-ers like Chandni but even Gen Alpha. Aaditya Shukla was 10 when he began making videos on Insta because he had 'nothing to do other than studies' during the lockdown. His first earning was Rs 2,000, when his follower count was 10,000. Five years later, he has balanced studies and reel-making to have brands like Domino's wooing him to reach his teenage Insta audience of 1.6 million. Having lost his father in 2018, Shukla is happy to join his two elder siblings in helping his homemaker mother. 'I have already built something, I won't have to suffer much later,' says it's not just shorts that sell, long format, too, has an audience of its own, emboldening creators like Raj Shamani to go from 45-minute interviews to 2-3 hour-long ones on his YouTube podcast show, Figuring Out. 'I don't believe attention spans are getting shorter. I think the ability to judge content is getting faster,' he says. The go-to podcaster currently has 50 people working for him in several capacities, allowing him to put out three episodes a week and 25 shorts a day across seven channels and several yet, most agree it's just the start for a young economy (just about 15 years old) that's hard to ignore. 'In India, we don't have enough creators with critical mass yet. We are in the stage of building it,' says Vinay Pillai, chief business officer at Pocket Aces, which runs Clout, a talent management wing that currently boasts 225 influencers. 'Once it manifests itself, where we get creators like Kylie Jenner or Mr Beast, you will see the next step for the creator economy. Monetising the distribution they have built into commerce will radicalise the industry.' Pillai believes the next set of creators will be different and interesting, for their inspiration will not be film stars but their own kind. 'The best creators even today and 10-15 years from now will be those who take their authentic selves and turn the volume up, not those following trends,' he Intelligence will change the game even further, aiding the quick delivery of content. Tamil YouTuber Madan Gowri relies on tools like ChatGPT, Google's Gemini and DeepSeek for everything from research and scripting to editing and culling data on the issues that would drive audience engagement. 'It has helped me increase viewership,' he says. 'All we have to do is find the right prompt and curate our content accordingly.'THE ROAD AHEADA growing economy likely calls for greater supervision. Given the influence creators now wield on consumer spend, there's talk of the harm they can wreak on vulnerable audiences, especially children and young adults. The Advertising Standards Council of India's (ASCI) recent Influencer Compliance Scorecard showed that 69 per cent of India's top 100 digital stars failed to meet basic disclosure guidelines in brand collaborations. 'This signals a widespread lack of awareness or willingness to comply, risking audience trust and regulatory action,' says Manisha Kapoor, CEO & secretary general, ASCI. 'Influencer endorsements in sensitive sectors like health, finance, gaming and virtual digital assets pose serious risks to public safety.' The body expects influencers to disclose qualifications when promoting technical claims and more vigilance 'not just from influencers but also from brands and agencies to prevent irresponsible promotions'.A crowded space of influencers has also meant more competition and creators having to keep their sleeves rolled up all the time. 'It looks really easy to do, but difficult to sustain,' says Sheth of Monk Entertainment. 'Just try building distribution through short-form content for six months. I'll change my name if you don't feel disappointed at some point because you are not getting enough likes or views or don't have scripts to go along. It is a competitive space, because everyone with a phone is a possible creator.' Even someone as popular as RJ Karishma, who has a community of millions on both YouTube and Insta, admits feeling the pressure of uncertainty. One month, it's brand deals a dozen, the next not so much. 'When I started, there weren't that many creators and I had the power to say this is the amount I charge, I cannot go below this,' she says. 'Now, we are also compromising. There are more creators, so if not you, they will find somebody else.'Ultimately, it's the community they have built that fuels the creativity and keeps them going. Karishma cannot thank them enough. It was her enactments of saas-bahu characters on social media that earned her a viewership and enabled her to pay the bills for her mother's cancer treatment. 'I am grateful to my audience. Because of them, my mother is alive.'RJ Karishma | Crafting her own universe (Location courtesy: Contrast Studios Mumbai) As a child, Karishma loved dressing up in her mother's saris and copying characters from TV shows in front of a mirror. Two decades later, in front of her phone camera, she plays characters she dreamt up, including the popular Mummyji and Vicky. One of India's top comedy content creators, Karishma was a popular radio jockey in Indore before moving to Mumbai in 2023, juggling her job and her real interests—writing, shooting and editing original video content. About her 'risky vocation', Karishma says, 'You cannot be lax... It cannot be 'Main toh OG [original] hoon. Nope, you are replaceable.' Karishma is broadening her horizons by writing, acting and producing a digital micro drama. Bright Bhavi shya Loading is a 'Karishmaverse' of multiple characters.—Suhani SinghOldays Kitchen | Ilish, quite delish (Photo: Debajyoti Chakraborty) The Bishayee family ran a sweetmeat shop, which took a hit during the pandemic. Financial struggles mounted, with a home loan weighing heaviest. In 2021, the mother-son duo Usha and Suprabha tried launching a YouTube channel. It failed. 'But we couldn't give up,' says Suprabha, who has studied hotel management. Next time, they staked it all— selling their house to clear the loan and using the rest to buy an iPhone 14. 'It was a leap of faith,' says Usha. Oldays Kitchen began as a humble venture—a mother in her oldworld kitchen, cooking traditional Bengali dishes. By the third video, Suprabha had an idea: food-based rhymes. That formula—a short, funny rhyme (chhora) at the outset, related to the recipe of the day, cooked in a rustic oven—struck a first viral hit came with a demo for simuyier payesh (vermicelli pudding). One day, Suprabha asked her to taste the food on camera and react. 'Daarun!' (wonderful), she smiled—a word that is their signature now. The dream now? To open a caf—perhaps in Kolkata, but more likely in Digha, Usha's windy hometown by the sea.—Arkamoy Datta MajumdarFood Pharmer | Food Inspector General (Photo: Debajyoti Chakraborty) Revant Himantsingka is an anomaly among creators. Best known as the nutrition influencer who pulled up Bournvita for its high sugar content in his very first video, prompting a legal notice; compelled Lay's to switch from palm to sunflower oil in India; and started the campaign 'Label Padhega India', Revant is better known as a 'de-influencer'— someone who criticises brands for falling short on delivering the healthy food they ardently promise. 'The first year, I didn't make any money,' says Revant, who put in his savings from a job in the US into his creative foray. 'I have one policy—don't do any food brand deals. I have been offered insane amounts....' These days, financial services firm Zerodha is sponsoring the production cost of his latest podcast, The Simple Health Series. Happily, a plywood brand has also approached him because he stands for 'trust and credibility'.—Suhani SinghAadi | The romance of youth (Photo: Mandar Deodhar; Location courtesy: Contrast Studios Mumbai) Amazingly, Aadi tya Shukla doesn't have a But naturally, the teen who has over a million people hooked to his reels knows how to make optimum use of those belonging to h is mother and e lder brother Akash. Aadi, as he is known in creatorsphere, has used the device to document his life—preparing for the CBSE boards, hanging out with his friends—that offers a peek into the minds of Generation Alpha. No concerns about his screen time have been raised, for he ain't a bad student. He recently scored 88 per cent in Class 10.'If I had been doing badly in academics, teachers would have objected,' says Aadi. 'I'm proof that even while creating content you can study and do other activities.' It helps that his content is squeaky clean and his demeanour one of disarming teenage amiability. Shukla's creativity on Instagram has resulted in him scoring collab deals (SaReGa-Ma and Domino's, to name just two) and a DM (direct message) from casting director Shanoo Sharma's office, which resulted in a part in the Netflix series The Railway Men. 'I had no idea one can make money from it,' says Shukla, whose first sponsor deal earned him Rs 2,000. That's when he had 10,000 followers. Simple school math suggests a far, far meatier pie now.—Suhani SinghKL Bro Bijurithvik | Working-class hero (Photo: Badusha P.T.) Biju has seen life from the hard angles—as a labourer at a quarry, as a helper in a lorry and, later, as a mini truck and jeep driver. Rendered jobless during the pandemic and stranded at home, he decided, on a whim, to shoot videos on a Samsung phone bought with money a friend gave first YouTube video, uploaded in 2021, was about a young man's hunt for a bride in neighbouring state Karnataka. That video became a viral hit. He has not looked back since. His videos, in which only Malayalam is spoken, are centred around simple, workaday domestic acti vities or, say, a short trip, that features his family—wife Kavitha (28), mother Working-Class Hero Karthyayani (68), children Rithvik (8) and Rishvik (3 months), and his niece Anu Lakshmi (14). For Biju, an idle pursuit has led to fame and a livelihood; indeed, his days now revolve around chronicling his family does not reveal numbers, but says he earns 'enough' to support his family as a content creator. Says Biju, 'I do not know who invented YouTube and other platforms, but they are a blessing for people like me.'—M.G. ArunMG Squad | As he likes it Madan Gowri's success proves that far beyond the crowded fields, there are millions of takers for content ranging from physics to politics. And that most prefer it in the vernacular. What started out as an English YouTube channel in 2017 has morphed into a wildly popular Tamil one. Well-researched and pared down without sacrificing complexity, Gowri's entries both slake and spur the thirst for knowledge. However, 'you can't just talk about random things,' he says. 'I focus on what people want to know, like issues in mainstream media.''Earlier, when you said you are a YouTuber, people thought it was a serious profession,' he says. 'But are like 'even my kid is a YouTuber'. The competition is way higher.' Proudly prolific, he has put up one video a day for the past 6-7 years. Courtesy his revenues from YouTube, Gowri has 40-50 people on his payroll and runs a digital marketing veteran creator Bhuvan Bam aka BB Ki Vines, Gowri is foraying into films, but says he will never forsake the badge of a content creator. 'I'm getting this opportunity as I am who I am in content. The day I stop doing this, I won't have value.'Subscribe to India Today MagazineMust Watch

Bengaluru Stampede: First A Heartbreaking Tragedy, Then A Scramble For Scapegoats
Bengaluru Stampede: First A Heartbreaking Tragedy, Then A Scramble For Scapegoats

News18

time42 minutes ago

  • News18

Bengaluru Stampede: First A Heartbreaking Tragedy, Then A Scramble For Scapegoats

Last Updated: The stampede on June 4 was distinct in that it was not a public order situation; the unfortunate event occurred outside the stadium gates Bengaluru has witnessed significant public order incidents in the past, including the cancellation of the fifth day of the 1978 Test match between India and the West Indies at the KSCA stadium due to citywide mob violence over the arrest of then-prime minister Indira Gandhi. However, the stampede on June 4 was distinct in that it was not a public order situation; the unfortunate event occurred outside the stadium gates. A notable difference is the emergence of the IPL franchise cricket in the last 18 years, which has grown immensely. Franchise cricket has become the showpiece of a country that breathes the game. For instance, the BCCI's income for 2023-24 was approximately Rs 9,743 crores, with the IPL contributing Rs 5,761 crores (59 per cent). RCB, the most popular franchise, boasts an Instagram following of 21 million and an estimated value of $110 million. GENESIS OF THE TRAGEDY The tragedy's roots trace back to a unilateral tweet by an RCB official at 7am on June 4, announcing a parade and celebration at the KSCA stadium. This announcement led fans to congregate at the stadium, while discussions ensued among the chief minister, deputy CM, home minister, and police officials regarding the event. The commissioner of police, citing exhaustion from the previous night's duties, expressed concerns about managing the event. Despite these concerns, RCB management bypassed the commissioner and communicated directly with the influential deputy CM. As a result, no formal approval was obtained, and a massive crowd gathered at the stadium, overwhelming its 30,000-capacity. COULD A DELAYED CELEBRATION HAVE PREVENTED THE TRAGEDY? Suggestions to postpone the celebrations to June 8, allowing for better planning and crowd management, were not considered. Had this advice been heeded, the police could have prepared adequately, mobilising personnel and resources from across the state. Additionally, live streaming of the event could have been arranged at various locations, reducing the need for fans to gather at the stadium. Unfortunately, RCB's management and political leadership's insistence on proceeding hastily contributed to the tragedy. SUSPENSIONS AND TRANSFERS In the aftermath, several police officers, including the commissioner, additional CP, jurisdictional DCP, an ACP, and the inspector of Cubbon Park PS, were suspended. These actions appear to be a desperate attempt to shift blame without a preliminary inquiry to establish prima facie guilt. The suspensions were based on subjective judgments, undermining due process and demoralising the police force. COVER-UP ALLEGATIONS To deflect criticism and public anger, the government scapegoated the commissioner and other officers. Despite the chief minister's involvement in the event's planning and the lack of formal approval, the focus shifted to lower-ranking officials. This approach raises concerns about accountability and transparency in handling such incidents. The tragic stampede during RCB's victory celebrations on June 4 resulted in 11 deaths and over 50 injured. The incident highlights the dangers of unplanned public events and the need for responsible governance. The subsequent scapegoating of police officers further exposes the darker side of political maneuvering and the erosion of institutional integrity. First Published: June 07, 2025, 15:29 IST

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store