Yahoo! India today announced its Year in Review 2012 (YIR)* which reflect topics that dominated the daily online habits of Indian Net users across 15 categories. This combines search trends with the editorial selection of what users read, recommended and shared most on the Yahoo! network in India during 2012.
YIR offers a glimpse into the social trends, compelling newsmakers and top stories of 2012, based on what Internet users in India looked for. It is clear while looking at the top trends that scams and controversies, with a large dose of Bollywood gossip, captured the attention of the user in 2012.
Sunny Leone, Indo-Canadian adult movie star, became the Most Searched Celebrity on the Net for 2012, ahead of Bollywood’s leading ladies, thanks to her controversial entry into Bollywood with Big Boss 5 and Jism 2.
Arvind Kejriwal, the new poster boy for the crusade against corruption, knocked off mentor Anna Hazare from the position to become Top Newsmaker in India for 2012. From shaking up the very foundations of the Indian government to stirring up controversy by the week, Arvind reached the height of his online popularity this year.
The London Games 2012 saw India’s biggest Olympic medal haul, equaling the collective tally of India's previous seven campaigns in this global event. Little wonder then that Olympics Bronze medalist boxer Mary Kom was chosen Yahoo! India’s ‘Person of the Year’.
After being chosen as the best non-model on the ramp by Yahoo! users last year, ‘Mr. Dependable’ Virat Kohli became 2012’s Performer of the Year, coming in straight at the top of the list of Cricketers of the Year.
Interestingly, Aishwarya Rai’s post pregnancy weight gain fueled a hefty share of Internet gossip, making her the Celebrity in the News for 2012, ahead of the Khans, Kapoors and Katrina Kaif!
Move over Brangelina. The most sought after Celebrity Couple in India was Saifeena. Where will they marry? Who’s on the guest list? What will they wear? Obsessed Internet users couldn’t get enough of this couple.
Who made a Style Statement in 2012? Amitabh Bachchan and Sonam Kapoor expectedly topped the list of Best Dressed Celebrities. But unusual suspect Ekta Kapoor rose straight to the top of this year’s Worst Dressed list, with Mallika Sherawat tailing her at a close second.
2012 saw many fashion trends vie for attention, many of which were inspired by the early 80s and 90s. Many A-listers seemed to take their fashion cues from the past, sporting colored denims, Anarkalis teamed with tight chudhidars and stilettos.
The dark cloud surrounding India’s airline carriers made the turbulence of the sky one of the Top News Stories of the Year. The Coalgate scam, Apple-Samsung war, fall of the Indian rupee and the much-awaited Facebook IPO also made it to this list.
iPhone 5 dominated the list of Top Tech Stories for 2012. Pinterest, crowdfunding and the sale of Instagram were among the other topics tech aficionados could not get enough of.
Other themes which dominated the daily habits of online users in India included news on style trends, health & fitness and top travel destinations.