My life hacked in an instant: 'RCB girl' Deepika Ghose

By Siddhant Pandey

May 13, 2019

02:26 pm

What's the story

On May 4, during an Indian Premier League (IPL) match between the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) and the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), a lot of fans were focused elsewhere. As the cameraperson panned to one specific spectator sitting in the bleachers, Deepika Ghose, she instantly became an Internet sensation. However, dubbed the RCB girl, Ghose recently expressed concerns over her instant fame on Instagram.

Details

Soon after the match, Ghose's Instagram following started rising

After the match, Ghose's Instagram blew up. She was even given a blue tick. At the time of writing this, Ghose has 330k followers. In her last Instagram post, Ghose detailed the online harassment she has faced since she rose to fame. She wrote, "My name is Deepika Ghose and that is probably the only thing being said about me which is 100% TRUE."

Instagram Post

I am disturbed by the unnecessary negativity, says Ghose

My name is Deepika Ghose & that is probably the only thing that is being said about me which is 100% TRUE. It all started on the Saturday of the RCBxSRH IPL match. I have been attending RCB matches for many years. It has become a family tradition to watch, cheer and support our Bengaluru team. When we went for the match on May 4th, I did not expect it to be different. I did not want any recognition or realise the number of times that I was on camera. I am no celebrity, just an ordinary girl who was enjoying the match. I did nothing to warrant the kind of attention that ensued after the TV images appeared & I certainly did not seek it. I have much to be proud of - I am a kind, artistic & hardworking woman. I am well educated, well-travelled and well loved by my friends and family. I have many talents and have excelled at my work as a stylist and as a dancer/teacher/entrepreneur. I do NOT consider being seen on TV at an IPL match an achievement. Many people ask me how my life has changed. It has NOT! The only thing that has changed is the number of my Instagram followers. I am as much in shock as all of you. While I am grateful for the love, I am disturbed by the unnecessary negativity. It has been an extreme case of abuse, trauma and mental torture. I am confused as to how people found my name/profile. My identity, privacy & life have been hacked in an instant. A lot of the overnight followers are men who have used this platform to be crude, vulgar, vicious & entirely disrespectful. Even more shocking is the hate I have received from women. How quick & cruel you have been to say mean things to & about me without even knowing me. I AM ONE OF YOU! The world desperately needs more women supporting & uplifting each other. I am appalled by how I have been judged & condemned instead of being given a compassionate hearing. Stop & think about how it is as a girl to have been subjected to this unwanted attention. So many people have asked me why they should follow me - and you are right to question this. Now that this has happened, I am going to turn this into something genuine, meaningful & fabulous. Yes, I am #theRCBgirl but I am SO MUCH MORE THAN THAT.

A post shared by deeghose on May 12, 2019 at 3:33am PDT

Quote

Ghose says she 'did nothing to warrant this attention'

"I am no celebrity, just an ordinary girl who was enjoying the match. I did nothing to warrant the kind of attention that ensued after the TV images appeared & I certainly did not seek it," wrote Ghose in her lengthy Instagram post.

Harassment

Men have been crude, vulgar, vicious and disrespectful: Ghose

She wrote, "While I am grateful for the love, I am disturbed by the unnecessary negativity. It has been an extreme case of abuse, trauma, and mental torture." Ghose added, "My identity, privacy & life have been hacked in an instant." She also mentioned that most of her followers are men who have used Instagram to be "crude, vulgar, vicious and entirely disrespectful."

Quote

Ghose also spoke about the hate she received from women

"Even more shocking is the hate I've received from women. How quick and cruel you have been to say mean things to and about me without even knowing me. I am one of you. The world desperately needs more women supporting and uplifting each other."

Response

You should've told this before getting verified: Instagram user

Several of her followers raised questions about her sincerity. One Instagram user commented on the post, "Your bio is #thercbgirl and the irony is you want people to know you by your profession... Nice." Another wrote, "We saw your stories enjoying the attention. They were like 25-30 stories or even more." Yet another Instagram user commented: "You should've told this before getting verified."

What next

Here's what Ghose plans to do with her Instagram now

Ghose, who describes herself as a "kind, artistic and hardworking woman," says that now she has amassed a great following, she hopes to "turn this into something genuine, meaningful & fabulous." "I have many talents and have excelled at my work as a stylist and as a dancer/teacher/entrepreneur," she wrote, adding, "Yes, I am #theRCBgirl but I am so much more than that."