“When publishing houses and mainstream media are controlled and operated by Savarna or upper caste communities, who selectively publish works that suit them, social media offers a more democratised space for my writings,” says Dr Sunil Abhiman Awachar, an artist and writer who teaches Marathi language at the University of Mumbai.

Awachar has been writing for over 15 years now and has several poetry collections to his name, the most recent one being ‘We, the rejected people of India’, translated from Marathi by Yogesh Maitreya, which gained considerable recognition on Instagram. As someone who has been an active commentator on contemporary issues and national affairs, Awachar was alert enough to recognise the need of the times and share his works in the digital space via social media. He created his Instagram profile four years ago and has regularly used his artworks and poems to engage with issues of caste, religion and the rights of the LGBTQIA+ communities.