BS READS: The search for an Indian giant in difficult social media terrain

How many players are able to sustain user growth will only be clear with time. That said, it is quite likely some may find the right investors and loyal audience and make it in the long haul

There was already some activity in the local social media scene before India banned the 59 Chinese apps in June.

TikTok, which arrived here in 2018, had opened up a niche. Short, instant-buffering videos put on a newsfeed showed a new way of consuming content, and became a viral phenomenon. Some Indian entrepreneurs saw an opportunity.

Co-founder Anish Khandelwal said he started working as early as February on Mitron, a short-video app that has recently become popular. “We set out to create a platform where people can watch any kind of short-videos. Not just humour, but also ‘how to do