India’s internet consumption rose by 13% since the lockdown was put in place to check the spread of Covid-19. Shambhavi Choudhary, a Patna girl and a recent graduate from Lady Shri Ram College, University of Delhi chose to make the best use of this opportunity for the larger good. To do her bit in these difficult times, Shambhavi started speaking her mind and creating awareness on some of the most pressing social, political and economic issues through her blog named ‘The Social Enthusiast’. She was taken by surprise with the kind of response she started receiving from people from all walks of life.
As per Shambahvi, the engagement of people on her blog posts has been overwhelming but she has not received only positive responses.“I believe in standing for what is right. There is no problem as far as people criticize arguments in a healthy way. The whole purpose of writing on a public forum is to aware and learn from people whom one is remotely connected with or the people who always don’t have the same opinion” said Shambhavi.Shambhavi believes in being true to one’s roots. A true Bihari at heart, some of the issues she has written on are the problem of Migration, the Implications of Alcohol Ban in Bihar, the Right to Education, Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam- The Prime Minister’s Spake and the Plight of Indian Strays among others. She has not only tried to elucidate all the possible angles of the topic but has also provided possible solutions to the issue at hand.
Through her blog, she is trying to offer solutions to the existing problems. The arguments made in Shambhavi’s blogs are guided by her own life experiences. Despite focussing on studies, she has always been involved in social service. Be it reaching out to the migrants in the current COVID-19 pandemic or the flood victims in Bihar, the protection of stray animals or organizing free health camps for the masses, she has tried to do her bit. Shambhavi, the founder of Pawfect Friends, has been feeding 200 stray dogs on a daily basis.
While in school and college, she actively engaged with her friends and peers on the issues she chose for writing blog posts. She also played a very significant role in establishing the culture of Model United Nations and Youth Parliaments in Bihar. The concept was popular in the country but not in Bihar until Shambhavi came along. Debate & discussions through different activities including blog posts, MUNs and Youth Parliaments among others, not only help young students to develop their speaking, writing and researching skills but also aware them about significant national international issues ultimately making them realize responsibility they carry on their shoulders as citizens.