Instagram is one of the most popular and influential social media platforms in the world, especially in India. India has the largest Instagram audience by country, with over 516.92 million users. You can find Bollywood stars, cricket legends, or social activists on Instagram and follow their updates, stories, and content, whether you are a fan of them or not.
But who are the most followed persons on Instagram in India? And what makes them so popular and successful? This blog post will reveal the top 7 most followed persons on Instagram in India as of 2023, based on their number of followers, their content genre, and their type of influence. It will also provide some background information about each person, such as their name, profession, achievements, and social causes. By the end of this post, you will understand better who these people are and what they do on Instagram.
So, let’s get started with our list of the top 7 most followed persons on Instagram in India, without further ado.
1. Virat Kohli
- Occupation: Cricket Player
- Total Number of Followers: 265M
- Content Genre: Sport, Lifestyle
- Type of Influence: Lifestyle, Social Cause
Virat Kohli tops the list of the most followed persons on Instagram in India. He is one of the world’s most famous and successful cricketers. Virat is the former captain of the Indian national cricket team and Royal Challengers Bangalore in the IPL. He debuted internationally in 2008 at the age of 20 against Sri Lanka. He is the first player to score 20,000 runs in a decade across all formats of cricket. Virat has the highest run score in T20 and IPL history. Kohli has scored 80 international centuries, second only to Sachin Tendulkar. In the ODI 2023 World Cup, Virat scored his ODI’s 50th century surpassing Sachin Tendulkar’s 49 ODI Centuries.
Virat Kohli has endorsed brands such as Myntra, Duroflex, Puma, Audi India, HSBC, Luxor, Noise, Star Sports, Phillips India, and Manyawar. He earns an estimated Rs11.45 Crores per sponsored post on Instagram.
Virat Kohli is also a philanthropist. He established his charity organization, the Virat Kohli Foundation, in 2013, which aims to support and provide opportunities to underprivileged children in India. The organization also provides food, shelter, and medical care to street animals. During the devastating second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in India, Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma initiated the #InThisTogether campaign which raised a total of ₹ 11,36,15,408.
2. Priyanka Chopra
- Occupation: Actress
- Total Number of Followers: 90.1M
- Content Genre: Fashion, Beauty, and Lifestyle, Social Cause, Entertainment and Media
- Type of Influence: Social cause, Lifestyle, Entertainment
Priyanka Chopra is the second most followed person on Instagram in India in 2023. She is a versatile and talented performer who has worked in various genres and mediums of entertainment. She has appeared in over 60 films, both in Bollywood and Hollywood, and has won numerous awards and accolades for her roles. Priyanka has also ventured into music, releasing three singles and collaborating with artists like Pitbull. She has also written a memoir, Unfinished, which became a bestseller in 2021.
Priyanka Chopra has endorsed and collaborated with many prestigious and popular brands, such as Pepsi, Nokia, TAG Heuer, Pantene, JBL, Crocs, and Bumble. She has also launched her own haircare brand, Anomaly, and her own homeware line, Sona. She earns Rs 3 crore per sponsored post.
Priyanka Chopra has been working with UNICEF since 2006 and became the national and global UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador in 2010 and 2016, respectively. She has advocated for issues such as education, health, gender equality, child rights, and the environment. Priyanka Chopra has also donated to relief efforts for natural disasters, pandemics, and wars. She has also founded the Priyanka Chopra Foundation for Health and Education, which supports underprivileged children in India.
3. Shraddha Kapoor
- Occupation: Actress
- Total Number of Followers: 85.1M
- Content Genre: Fashion, Beauty, Social Cause, and Lifestyle
- Type of Influence: Social cause, Lifestyle, Entertainment
Shraddha Kapoor is a talented and versatile performer who has worked in various genres of films, such as romance, comedy, horror, action, and drama. She has appeared in Bollywood films such as Aashiqui 2, Haider, Ek Villain, ABCD 2, Stree, Saaho, Chhichhore, and Street Dancer 3D. She also made her debut in OTT via the Netflix film Tu Jhoothi Main Makkaar. Shraddha is the most followed persons on Instagram in India because she is not only a versatile actor but is also a good singer.
Shraddha is a popular brand ambassador and influencer who has endorsed and collaborated with many well-known and emerging brands, such as L’Oréal, Veet, Lakmé, Flipkart, Vaseline, and Titan. She has also launched her clothing line, SKULT, which is India’s first athleisure brand. She earns Rs1 Crore per sponsored post on Instagram.
Shraddha is a passionate and committed social activist who supports various causes and initiatives. She is an animal lover and a vegetarian, who has campaigned for PETA and The Body Shop. Shraddha has also supported causes such as education, mental health, climate change, and women’s empowerment. She has donated to relief efforts for floods, cyclones, and COVID-19. She has also joined hands with UNICEF to promote girls’ education in India.
4. Narendra Modi
- Occupation: Politician
- Total Number of Followers: 82.4M
- Content Genre: Governance, Overall development of India, Culture and Heritage, Inspirational content, Lifestyle
- Type of Influence: Leadership, Governance, and Nationalism
The Indian PM has also grabbed a spot on the list of the most followed persons on Instagram in India. Narendra Modi is India’s Prime Minister and BJP’s leader. He has won two general elections since 2014 and is Varanasi’s MP. He runs the country and works in various sectors like economy, health, education, infrastructure, defense, and foreign affairs. PM Modi boosts India’s global image and role by engaging with various leaders, organizations, and forums. PM Modi talks to the people of India and solves their problems through social media, radio, and TV. He encourages and inspires the people of India with his messages, stories, and achievements.
The Indian Prime Minister promotes khadi, a hand-woven fabric made from natural fibers, as a symbol of self-reliance, empowerment, and sustainability. He also wears khadi clothes and encourages others to do so. He sponsors yoga to show India’s prowess in health and fitness. PM Modi also launched the Swachh Bharat (Clean India) campaign in 2014, which aims to make India free from open defecation and littering, and has been promoting the campaign to sponsor India’s image as a clean country globally.
The PM has done a lot of charity work, such as:
- Launching the PM CARES for Children Scheme to help children who lost their parents or guardians to COVID-19 since 11th March 2020.
- Launching the Prime Minister Relief Fund to help those who suffer from natural disasters or health problems.
- Donating Rs. 21 lakh from his savings to the fund for the sanitation workers of Kumbh Mela in 2019.
5. Alia Bhatt
- Occupation: Actress
- Total Number of Followers: 81.5M
- Content Genre: Fashion, Beauty, Social Cause, Entertainment, and Lifestyle
- Type of Influence: Social cause, Lifestyle, Entertainment
Alia Bhatt is also one of the most followed people on Instagram in India because she is a very expressive actress. She is a popular and talented Indian actress who has a huge fan base on Instagram. She has acted in many films that have received critical praise and commercial success, such as Highway, Udta Punjab, Raazi, and Gully Boy. Alia has also explored other entertainment fields, such as music, writing, and production. She has released three singles and has worked in a popular web series called “Darlings”. She is one of the most influential and versatile celebrities in India.
Alia Bhatt has endorsed popular brands such as Philips, Rungta Steel, DuruFlex, Frooti, Cornetto, Titan Raga, Cadbury, Make My Trip, and Lays. She also endorses her own brand “Ed-a-mamma”, which is a clothing brand for children aged 2-12 years. She earns Rs85 lakhs- Rs 1 Crore per sponsored post.
In 2013, Alia Bhatt participated in a PETA campaign to bring attention to the issue of homeless animals. She joined the 2015 Cuddles Foundation charity fundraiser for kids suffering from cancer, and in 2017 she walked the ramp to support the same cause. She also started the environmental campaign CoExist in 2017 to bring attention to the plight of street animals.
6. Katrina Kaif
- Occupation: Actress
- Total Number of Followers: 79M
- Content Genre: Fashion, Beauty, Social Cause, Entertainment, and Lifestyle
- Type of Influence: Social cause, Entertainment
Katrina ranks sixth in the list of most followed persons in India. She is a British actress who works in Bollywood films. She is one of the highest-paid and most popular actresses in India and has received several awards, including four Zee Cine Awards. Kaif has acted in various genres of films, such as comedy, romance, action, and drama. Some of her notable films are Ek Tha Tiger and Dhoom 3. Katrina has also launched her brand, Kay-Beauty, which sells cosmetics and other beauty products.
Katrina Kaif has endorsed several brands, such as Slice, Veet, Emami, Cleartrip, Medimix, Kalyan Jewellers, and others. She also promotes her brand, Kay-Beauty. She earns approximately Rs 1 Crore per sponsored post on Instagram.
Kaif works with her mother’s trust, Relief Projects India, which helps poor children. They provide them with good education, help orphans, and stop killing baby girls. She donates some of her money every year to the trust and her mother’s orphanage. She also made a nursery rhyme album with A. R. Rahman to raise money for a new school in Madurai. Kaif sold her clothes and things to raise money for a care unit for pregnant women in Madurai.
7. Deepika Padukone
- Occupation: Actress
- Total Number of Followers: 77.9M
- Content Genre: Entertainment, Lifestyle, Fashion
- Type of Influence: Social Cause, Entertainment
Lastly, Deepika Padukone ranks 7th on the list of the most followed persons on Instagram in India. She is a renowned Indian actress who has starred in numerous Hindi films, such as Padmaavat, Bajirao Mastani, and Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani. Deepika has also acted in some Kannada-language films, such as Aishwarya. She is one of the most successful and highest-paid actresses in Bollywood and has received many accolades, including four Filmfare Awards and one National Film Award. Besides her acting career, she also advocates for various social causes, such as women’s rights, mental health, and environmentalism.
Deepika has endorsed or collaborated with many brands and products, such as Adidas, Chopard, Epigamia, L’Oréal, Tanishq, Coca-Cola, Axis Bank, Britannia, Kellogg’s, Oppo, and others. She often shares content related to these brands on her social media platforms creatively and engagingly.
Deepika has done a lot of charity and social work, such as supporting UNICEF, PETA India, Pratham Education Foundation, Live Love Laugh Foundation, and others. She has also participated in various campaigns and initiatives to raise awareness about important issues such as feminism, depression, self-care, and environmentalism.
In conclusion, these are the top 7 most followed persons on Instagram in India. We have summarized important points such as their background, the content they generate, the type of influence they have, the brands they endorse, their cost per sponsored post, and some of the charity work they have done throughout their career. We hope you enjoyed reading this blog and gained valuable knowledge. Thanks for reading the blog.
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