December is that time of the year when we huddle around a campfire of recollections to introspect and reflect. Because sometimes we never know what we did until it becomes a memory. Going by the newspaper’s tradition of showing us the mirror, the ‘trending’ Google searches published in a leading Indian newspaper tell us how we behaved on the Internet in 2014. “Despite Narendra Modi’s best efforts, India is still searching for Sunny Leone,” wrote The Financial Times, tongue partly in cheek. Given our admiration for ‘sanskari’ women, Ms. Leone easily pipped Priyanka Chopra, Alia Bhatt and Katrina Kaif, to retain the Number One crown. And if you are wondering why Rajnikant is not on the list, know that he is the one who drives the Internet…among other things. Our very own Modiji is on the second pedestal – a jaw-dropping phenomenon, because it the first time a politician has trumped Bollywood celebrities. Recent bonhomie aside, Aamir Khan should be concerned, because he is nowhere in the Top Ten. It should hurt, because bête noire Salman Khan remains the third most searched personality on the Google list - with Shah Rukh occupying the seventh pedestal. Poonam Pandey is at a respectable number nine, ahead of new Captain Virat Kohli. Globally, apart from Jennifer Lawrence, we know who the most searched celebrity was, because, barring those who live on the North Pole, most of us, including yours truly, typed ‘People’s Magazine’ in the Google search box. Emerging fanny first with her well-oiled lady lumps, Kim Kardashian is at number two in the list of the most searched personalities worldwide.
Coming to the most searched terms across categories in India, is it any surprise that IRCTC bags the crown? Because, two things are not easy: finding life on Mars and booking train tickets on IRCTC - and there are days before Diwali when the first option is relatively easier. Indians also searched heavily for Flipkart, which is at second position. Expanding at a compound annual growth of 34%, e-commerce captured the imagination of Indians like never before. So, 2014 was about consumerism and Internet penetration, despite a sluggish economy. The television media can cry hoarse about a certain Cricket enthusiast’s indiscretions, but the biggest blow to Cricket comes from kids in ‘gali mohallas’ now singing ‘Let’s Football’. Only Elections 2014 could pip FIFA World Cup 2014 to the top trending topic even in India. During FIFA 2014 the Internet provided comprehensive content, allowing millions of passionate Football fans to access live scores, text broadcasts, stats, photos, videos and group updates.
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