Aizawl: The Dr. Anamika Ray Memorial Trust (ARMT) has conferred the Dr. Anamika Ray SHARE (Science, Health, Agriculture, Risk, and Environment) Communication Research Award 2025 on P.C. Lalvenhimi of Mizoram University for her groundbreaking study on “Online Environmental Activism in Mizoram with Special Reference to Save the Riparian Movement.”
Conducted under the supervision of Dr. Dheeraj Kumar, Assistant Professor in the Department of Mass Communication, the research highlights how social media platforms have become powerful tools for grassroots environmental campaigns in Mizoram.
The study, which combined content analysis of social media posts, a survey of 209 participants, and in-depth interviews with activists, discovered that Instagram Reels emerged as a game-changer for environmental communication.
Short, visually compelling videos drew far greater engagement than traditional posts, inspiring audiences to participate in river clean-ups and conservation efforts. Alongside Instagram, WhatsApp played a pivotal role in real-time volunteer coordination and direct communication, enabling organisers to sustain momentum and mobilise participants quickly.
YouTube, meanwhile, provided an educational platform through documentary-style videos on topics ranging from snake rescues to waste management practices.
The research also revealed how social media proved critical in overcoming financial and logistical hurdles. Donations flowed through online appeals, sometimes reaching ₹20,000 to ₹30,000 in a single day, allowing the campaign to rent vehicles, manage garbage collection, and sustain its frontline team.
The introduction of Google Pay and QR codes further streamlined fundraising, even drawing contributions from outside Mizoram. Social media was equally important for volunteer mobilisation: from only ten participants in the early stages, the Save the Riparian Movement eventually gathered more than one hundred active volunteers and up to 500 attendees at its Mega Day event.
This strong online presence did more than boost participation; it also brought the movement to the attention of institutions and leaders, including the Mizoram Chief Minister, ministers, Members of Parliament, schools, and colleges, all of whom extended support.
The digital campaign faced minimal criticism, with overwhelmingly positive responses from the public. The organisers also tackled misinformation head-on, actively monitoring content and correcting inaccuracies, while involving cybercrime authorities when deliberate falsehoods threatened to undermine their work.
Yet, the study also cautioned that social media alone cannot sustain long-term activism. For deeper impact, it recommended forging stronger partnerships with influential community bodies such as the Young Mizo Association (YMA) and faith-based groups, whose cultural resonance could extend the campaign’s reach beyond online platforms.
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