From rank 127 to No 1 on App Store, Sanchar Saathi gains amid outrage

An app nobody noticed, until everyone did. Political heat and curiosity pushed it to the top in downloads. How long before the slide?

With the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) hastily withdrawing on Wednesday its earlier directive mandating the pre-installation of the Sanchar Saathi application (app) on all mobile phones — amid backlash from Opposition parties, civil society, and mobile device makers — there has been one unexpected outcome. The once-ignored Sanchar Saathi app has suddenly surged into the spotlight. 

According to Sensor Tower data, the app — ranked 127 on November 20 among the most downloaded apps in India — catapulted to the No. 1 position on the Apple App Store on December 2, overtaking Google Gemini and ChatGPT.  It continues to hold