This class 5 student and YouTuber is winning hearts with ‘fun fact’ videos

A student of class 5 from Apeejay School Saket, Hridyansh Gupta’s YouTube channel, called ‘FunLedge’, has a number of colourful, engaging videos based on general knowledge and interesting facts. Apart from conceptualising the video, he also edits and uploads it on his own. At school, he is the Vice Head Boy of the primary section. In an interview, the young boy takes us through his process of content creation. We also speak to his mother Nidhi Gupta, HOD Science, DAV Shalimar Bagh about how she monitor’s her son’s exposure to various kinds of online content. Edited excerpts:

How long have you been running your YouTube channel? How did you come up with the idea?

Hridyansh: I started my YouTube channel a year ago, in class 4. I was inspired by various content on YouTube and decided to start my own channel with the help of my brother Ayushmaan (who is in class 9 in the same school) under my mother’s guidance. I have created 33 YouTube videos so far and have more than 500 subscribers.

When you shared the idea with your parents, what was their reaction?

My parents were very happy and supported me. They told me my channel will keep growing and become popular one day.

How often do you post videos? How do you balance this with your academics and other commitments?

Once a week or so. I cut down my television and playing time to work on my YouTube content.

Your YouTube channel is called ‘FunLedge’. How did you come up with the name?

The name of my YouTube channel comes from ‘fun’ and ‘knowledge’. So, it is a channel where I share knowledge in a fun way. The content comprises general knowledge, ‘Unscramble’ series, ‘Amazing Facts’ series, ‘Guess The’ series.

How do you plan a particular video? Take us through your process of content creation.

My brother helped me out initially but now I do it on my own. It takes me one or two days to think of a concept. I research the content on Google and also read some books to compile the facts. Once that is done, I shoot the video and then edit it on my own. I learned video editing from other YouTube videos. Initially, my father, who is a jeweller, also helped me in learning editing skills. Finally, I think of a good title and description for the video and upload it.

Do you discuss your ideas with your parents and other family members before publishing a video?

Absolutely! My mother, who is a teacher, checks the content and gives me useful feedback. My parents guide me as to how I can improve my content further.

Are you interested in any other co-curricular activities?

I love to solve the Rubik’s cube as it sharpens our minds and increases our focus level. I learned the technique by watching YouTube videos.

How do the teachers support you?

The teachers are very helpful and encouraging. Some of them even subscribed to my channel! They even share their feedback with me.

When it comes to the online space, there is a risk of cyberbullying. As a parent, was it one of the concerns for you too?

Nidhi: Definitely. We started the YouTube channel during the lockdown. I was at home, so Hridyansh was under my guidance and surveillance. I kept a close check on his content and verified all the statistics and facts in his videos and their relevance. I continue to keep a track of his YouTube content, the kind of comments he is receiving, and so on.

At the same time, I keep a rigorous check on the kind of content that my son is watching online. I have outlined clear dos and don’ts for him in that regard. For this, I had a conversation about online safety with my child first.

What has your experience with Apeejay Saket been like?

Nidhi: I am very happy with the teachers and the school principal who has taken Apeejay Saket to new heights. Not just Hridyansh, my elder son has also shown great progress over the years, all thanks to his school.

Since Hridyansh posts educational content on YouTube, would you say his own general knowledge has improved in the process?

Nidhi: Yes! Over time, he had grasped good knowledge about a range of things and can now speak on various topics. I am very happy.