CHENNAI: Let’s start with a question. What is the first thing you do when you wake up in the morning? Most of us reach out for our phones and check out messages, mails and social media sites. When this is a routine for many, wouldn’t it be nice to read motivational notes on your feed before your day begins? City-based Deepak and Nilesh are doing this with their Instagram page Chennai Sixty Eight (CH68). Every day, they share tips, and tricks for a better life, and experiences shared by strangers to their 220k followers.
The seven-month-old page has its roots in another activity that the duo did for ten years — giving notes to strangers across the city — that attracted thousands of followers in a short span. The success of that initiative motivated them to go online and as Nilesh notes, they wasted no time thinking of creative usernames, and randomly chose Chennai Sixty-Eight.
Sharing thoughts
Deepak, an e-commerce technology manager, and his friend Nilesh, a digital marketer, wanted to create a safe space where people can feel comfortable opening up about their struggles without the fear of being judged. “We believe that speaking about mental health can eventually break the stigma attached to it. And for Chennai and Tamil people, we are one of the very few creators who tapped into this area, despite receiving a lot of judgments,” says Deepak.
Having personally experienced mental health challenges, especially during Covid, they wanted to break the stigma associated. “As self-disciplined, health-conscious individuals ourselves, we struggled to keep up our emotional balance. That is how the idea to start this page emerged,” he adds.
In January 2023, Deepak and Nilesh noticed a trend of spreading positivity and joy by sharing notes, similar to theirs, picking up abroad. “It was not new to us, but it created magic. So we caught that spark and didn’t give up,” says Deepak. The idea was not to become popular but they wanted to create a brand that provides deep meaning and value in society.
The content that goes on the feed is not only inspired by people, books, and personal experiences, but also researched upon. All the posts are scripted, shot and uploaded to match the Tamil audience’s pulse. They don’t share anything that they don’t personally believe in. And that is perhaps what makes audience connect with them.
They strongly believe that motivation is temporary, but what keeps us going is discipline. Sticking to schedules, and goals irrespective of how bad or good the day is, is one of the mantras that the creators follow and recommend others also to do. “Staying happy and positive in life is a choice. Deciding to be positive helps choose who you want to be and how you want the world to know you. Because positivity is as contagious as hate. To balance out is the key,” says Deepak.
Spreading joy
Meeting strangers with a note is not an easy task. The creators get past rejections to find a person and capture their reaction. “We meet people randomly. We don’t choose by looking at their face because it’s hard to judge that way. Most smiling people can also be battling inside, you never know,” they say.
One of the most memorable moments for them was when they gave a note to a stranger at a trade fair. “He started crying reading the note. He said “thank you” a million times and told us that he felt like the universe had sent us to him. We don’t usually see men be that expressive; it’s rare, and we were grateful we could make his day a little lighter and hopeful,” says Deepak.
Many followers find their voice in CH68. Every 30 minutes there is a new message in their inbox where followers and others share their own struggles, gratitude for the post, and thank them for spreading smiles in the cruel digital world. While Deepak handles content and the brand, Nilesh handles the operations. They look forward to building a team soon. “On a personal level, it has helped us evolve as mature individuals. Like water going through the flow of high streams and falls, this journey has made us realise our strengths. We understand the power of influence and the responsibility we carry. We know we have the potential to inspire millions of youngsters to pursue their dream and walk in the path of hope,” they say.
Just like every creator, the friends also have days where they feel emotionally beaten for content, are judged, or even criticised. But they are grateful that they got to experience it because it gave them a strong foundation to push forward. “One thing we are proud to say is we have stopped a lot of suicides, and we know that for sure,” claims Nilesh.
While they have created a space for a large audience through content, the higher purpose is to provide a service that helps people who battle their emotions. “We are not here as one-timers, we are here to create impact,” says Nilesh.