Nakshatra Sanjai “Noo-gah! aims to harness the power of opinions.There are approximately 8 billion people in this world, and every voice and opinion holds value. The app is an opinion hub where users can exchange viewpoints and dialogues with global audience. Unlike other social media platforms, Noo-gah! is a neutral space solely dedicated to showcasing people’s opinions.” says Sanjai Velayudhan, co-founder.But how did noo-gah! came into being? It is the product of a veteran strategist’s 23-year diverse experience and a dynamic GEN Z, 20-year-old, design student’s brainstorming.
Social media plays a vital role in all our lives today, and its increasing influence has created a complete, virtual and private world within its ambit. Lately, the pandemic has amplified its already increasing influence. Realising the rise in social media users and how rapidly information is creating reverberating effects in society, a father-daughter duo has come up with a platform to air public’s thoughts and opinions.
Nakshatra Sanjai is not your everyday 19-year-old who finishes attending college lectures and then moves on to chatting with friends, doomscrolling or pursuing her hobbies. Once Nakshatra Sanjai is done with college, she focuses on her new-age equal opportunity, neutral opinion aggregator platform for seamless sharing of ideas and starting a dialogue with a global audience – noo-gah! She co-founded the app with her parents.
Based in Bengaluru, Sanjai started with a vision to bring forth a platform that streamlines the exchange of viewpoints. She witnessed the power of opinions, she witnessed the effect of these opinions changing the decision making landscape of the nation and she believed that a platform that eliminates the social media clutter can give these opinions power and thus was born noo-gah!
Sanjai juggles teenage life, education and noo-gah! all at the same time efficiently, and laughs that the lockdown came as a blessing in disguise for the most part. Working and studying from home made it easier for her to organise her time and manage everything rather seamlessly.
Over to the young entrepreneur and her ideas.
The Intention Behind noo-gah!…
There is an old saying: ‘Vox populi, vox Dei’. It means, ‘The voice of the people is the voice of God’. noo-gah! was built with the intention of filling the lacuna left behind by other social media platforms. We believed that noo-gah! should become a catalyst in encouraging people to speak up, fearlessly and unapologetically. This is where the two-minute video format comes into play. We want to encourage people to come forward, face the camera and voice their opinions, thereby removing the veil of anonymity because anonymity kills legitimacy. noo-gah! is here to amplify the voices of the people, especially the young.
…provide young people with new, innovative ideas that can amplify their voices and ambitions for change. Stagnant ideas exist because of the lack of new perspectives and I want to change that with my work.
The Name Is Inspired By…
…nougat. It is a confectionery made with sugar, almonds, hazelnuts, cocoa etc. It is basically the culmination of various rich ingredients that contribute to its deliciousness. Keeping the same principle in mind, we as a platform want to act as the binding agent that brings together and celebrates diverse opinions, thoughts and ideas. noo-gah! celebrates diversity.
…even if the majority disagreed with me, be it a discussion on politics, history, psychology or anything else. I grew up believing that my opinion matters. Every opinion that I hold or form has always been backed by research or authentic information. Opposing opinions is inevitable, you can’t always agree with all, but the important thing is that you speak up. There is a quote often misattributed to Voltaire: “I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.” It is by Evelyn Beatrice Hall , who wrote it in The Friends of Voltaire and is often cited to describe the principle of freedom of speech. I believe in that principle.
Despite having been through many ups and downs, he stays on the path and is willing to fight adversities. He is the symbol of resilience for me. The most important lesson he’s taught me is that there’s no motivation like self-motivation. So, when I find myself in a slump, I know I have to bounce back because I’m equipped with the necessary tools to do so.Nakshatra Sanjai told.
We choose subjects that are generally popular among the young. We determine this through informal surveys and meetings with college-goers and young professionals. Without hesitation, I can also say that we did scan the popular social media sites to understand contemporary issues that are important for the young.
It Is Tough To Keep Mischief Mongers Out…
Trolling/bullying etc ensues because I don’t know who they are and they have no idea who I am. It’s the basic premise of trolling. People are able to get behind a mask and say what they want. I don’t see that happening in the offline world. Unfortunately, demons thrive where angels live. Trolling is an inherent vice that is part of the social media experience. noo-gah! promises to take action against trollers once reported by users. We will take the matter seriously and review it based on the complying authorities and the law of the land.
Change in a world married to its regressive or outdated beliefs and ways is a massive challenge, but you’ve got to start somewhere. No initiative or change is too big or small. Start with baby steps, but start nonetheless. The world needs change-makers and opinion leaders dedicated to the advancement of mindsets and society as a whole. The most important thing to remember is that only the young can break age-old barriers!
