new Delhi. By looking at the documents of BiteDance, the parent company of Tiktok, it is revealed that it is a state-sponsored company. A company like Alibaba can be created in China only when the government there helps. The government can ask for data from the company whenever it wants and the company cannot refuse.
The same was the case with Tiktok. That is why there was a danger of privacy. This is to say of Sumit Ghosh, the co-founder of the Chingari app. In an interview given to Bhaskar on Skype, he said that, when the downloads increased quickly, my team and I did not sleep for 48 hours. 10 million downloads are like a dream for us. Read the full interview.
We did not sleep for 48 hours, what happened was incredible ...
The Chingari app has been downloaded 11 million times in 22 days. 3 million downloads in just 10 days. Did the mere ban of tiktok become the reason?
Banning of tiktok is a very big reason, but even before the tiktok was banned, we had Traxon in our hands. We started app marketing from June 10 and three and a half million downloads had already arrived before Tiktok was banned.
After this, when the Tiktok was banned, it was incredible for us. We reached eleven million straight from three and a half. This became the biggest reason for tiktok. Still, three to four lakh downloads are coming daily on the app. Users are watching videos. Are sharing.
What is the story of making the Chingari ? Whose idea was this? Where did the money come from?
I and Bishwatma Nayak together had prepared a plan to make this app. Bishwatma is a programmer, and I am a product-growth fellow. We wanted to create an app for the country that people living in tier two and tier three could also use. Currently, social media apps like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram are mostly used by people with Tier-1 cities.
We noticed that the American company's app was becoming very popular musically. He was also liked by the people of Tier Two and Three. From here we got the idea to make an app with short videos. Then we launched Chingari. Later, it also brought games so that those who are coming on the app, do not feel boredom. This is how the Chingari app became.
When the Chingari downloads started growing, what was the schedule for you and the team? How were you managing new users?
This event came right away. Earlier our marketing strategy was completely different. We thought that ten million would raise funding after downloading. Then will reach 50 million and 100 million. Our backend team was also working accordingly. But immediately after the tiktok was banned, the download grew very fast.
I and my entire team could not even sleep for 48 hours. We were constantly working. A lot of queries were coming. There was so much traffic that the app could not even log in. Gradually everything started getting smooth. You will get a new look of the app in two to three weeks.
However, our app was growing even before Tiktok was banned. On June 10, we had 1 lakh downloads. As of 28 June, 3.5 million downloads had been received. Anand Mahindra Ji, after one tweet, we had directly increased by 1 million downloads. We were down to 25 to 35 lakhs. By the way, the wave of Made in India started only after Sonam Wangchuk's video went viral. Downloads were up. When the tiktok was banned, then the whole mathematics changed.
Which countries have investors invested in the Chingari app?
None of our investors are from China. Investors are from the US.
Do you think Tiktok has created a new market and many startups are benefiting from it?
Yes, that's right. Tiktok has cracked the code that no Indian app could. They have given away that just follow it and you can become a big platform yourself.
What makes you different from Tiktok? Tiktok is known as a disruptive startup? In which category would you put the Chingari ?
We have a lot of innovation. Short video is our main focus. It is accompanied by news, games. There are many things to engage with. Among the apps that are currently in the market, there are huge differences in the Chingari. We have a lot of things that force the user to stay on the Chingari.
Do your servers have the ability to handle so much traffic?
Our team is working day and night on this. With the infrastructure we have right now, we can reach even 100 million users. Preparations are also going ahead. A lot of work will be done in the next two-three weeks.
Tiktok is set to go to court against the verdict. If the ban is lifted then do you think that users will leave Chingari?
It depends on how many days the ban is removed. If this ban is withdrawn in 6 to 9 months, then by then Tiktok market in India will be over. All the people must have come on the Chingari . Users must have got used to the Chingari. However, if the tiktok comes, we do not mind.
Tiktok comes back within three months, so now we can give him a good competition. The feelings of the entire country are associated with us that this is the app of India. It has to be successful. However, some problems are coming to the app right now, which will be fixed very soon.
Was the data of the tiktok going to the Chinese government, what do you think?
Some documents of the company prove that it is a state-sponsored company. If you want to build a big organization in China, then it cannot happen without the help of the state because it is a communist country. The government there can take data from any Chinese company at any time. Many departments were also on tiktok for our country. The IB itself has alerted the ministry about this that it can be dangerous for the security of the country. There is a danger of privacy
Is this all like a dream for you?
Yes of course. It has never happened in the world that 6 lakh downloads are coming per hour. Even Mark Zuckerberg would not have seen such growth of Facebook. It is like a dream come true.
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