Exporting Indian Culture To The World

When I was in high school, my family moved from the US to the city where my parents grew up - Lucknow. As you can imagine, being a kid at a brand new school where I knew no one… I fit in just great. In all seriousness, it was incredible to have an opportunity to connect with my heritage. I soaked up as much as I could. I was a voracious reader, movie watcher, and news junkie.

And I discovered, in a profound way, the power of storytelling. It started me on a journey that defined my career. Now, I have the privilege of leading a company that enables people to tell their stories and share them with audiences around the globe.

Every day, I talk to creators who are telling extraordinary stories. They’re reimagining what we listen to, how we learn, and what we love to watch. And let me tell you, that’s happening in India more than anywhere else. In fact, creators in this country are doing more than just sharing stories - they’re exporting Indian culture to the world. More than 11 thousand Indian channels have over a million subscribers. That’s a 50 per cent increase year over year!

Phenomenal Growth
When I think back to when I started at YouTube nine years ago, that number is even more impressive. Today, there are 11 thousand, but when I joined YouTube, only 11 channels had more than a million subscribers!

Times have changed. Now, creators are the new A-listers. These creators and artists have business strategies, writers’ rooms, and production teams. They’re creating programmes that people love to watch. And along the way, they’re redefining entertainment, news, and education. And they’re driving growth on YouTube. We’re number one in reach and watchtime in India.

And we just passed a huge milestone. Shorts, which we first launched in India, now has trillions of views here.

Indian creators are making videos inspired by local trends that go on to define global culture.

Fans aren’t just tuning in, they’re showing up and buying tickets to watch comedians perform on stage around the world. These channels started in India, and now they’re global, finding audiences everywhere from Australia to the US.

The Home for Fans
Fans are making cultural moments even bigger on YouTube. Because from the very beginning, we’ve been the home for fans. The momentum of fandom continues to drive growth on YouTube. And more and more, fans want to watch creators making exceptional programming not just on their computers or their phones, but also on the biggest 
screen in their house.

My childhood showed me that no matter where you live, no matter what country you call home… everyone has a story. YouTube gives creators a home to share their stories with the world. And they’re creating connections with fans that span continents and cross oceans. And those connections are the magic of YouTube.

Excerpted from his remarks at YouTube Brandcast India 2024