Forbes Presents India's Top 100 Digital Stars 2023; Dharna Durga Tops the List
Acknowledging the significance of the digital era, where social media ignites minds and influencers” names become the buzzword, Forbes India and GOAT—GroupM”s brand-safe influencer and content marketing solution—have come up with a novel list, India”s Top 100 Digital Stars, in 2023. The list includes creators who are primarily active on Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook. The selection criteria included many metrics—such as followers, engagement, views, reach, and impressions—across social media platforms.
Moreover, quantitative and qualitative measures played a crucial role in the selection process. According to Statista, the influencer marketing industry in India was valued at over Rs 1,200 crore in 2022. It is expected to grow at a CAGR of 25 percent to touch close to Rs 2,800 crore by 2026, the Forbes report said.
Dharna Durga, with handle @dharnaaaaa, has secured the top position in the list with a GOAT score of 9.03. Hailing from New Delhi, the 23-year-old Dharna Durga creates content that depicts traits and aspects of Indian households with a tinge of humor. She embarked on her online journey during the COVID-19 pandemic and became an instant hit with a massive fan following.
She currently works with elite brands such as Amazon, Google, Veet, and The Face Shop. The second rank is held by Apoorva Mukhija with social media handle @the.rebel.kid. The rebel kid, as Mukhija calls herself in the handle, shot to fame with her comic videos. This social media influencer from Mumbai is currently collaborating with 60+ brands, including OnePlus, Netflix, Google, Amazon, and Meta, and has a monthly reach of over 10 million.
The third spot is adorned by Raj Grover with a handle @rajgrover_in. Raj makes funny videos and has attracted more than 1.5 million Instagram followers, according to the Forbes report.
