To illuminate festive conversations this Diwali, Twitter India has launched a new #HappyDiwali emoji. The emoji is a lit up diya extended out on a palm, and its flame sparkles when one switches to the Lights Out dark mode. The emoji can be activated with the hashtags #LightUpALife, #EkZindagiKaroRoshan, #HappyDiwali, #HappyDeepavali, #Diwali, #Deepavali, #??????, #???????, #??????????, #?????????, #??????????, #??????????, #????????????, #??? ???????, #???????????????????, #???????????????????????, #?????????????????????, #???????????????.

We know you care, so #LightUpALife and #EkZindagiKaroRoshan. This Diwali, bring a smile to someone’s face or spread cheer with this new emoji, tag someone and say nothing. pic.twitter.com/sM9cDAa8eA

— Twitter India (@TwitterIndia) November 10, 2020

This Diwali, with the new diya emoji, Twitter India is encouraging people to make a positive change and #LightUpALife through thoughtful words and actions. The year 2020 has been one of tough challenges for everyone, but Twitter also witnessed people coming together as a community and extending help to those in need. Sentiments of gratitude and thankfulness were also seen surfacing in everyday conversations.

Manish Maheshwari, Managing Director, Twitter India, said, “Lately, many people are coming forward on Twitter to help others and drive more authentic, meaningful and positive conversations. The uncertainties of the year have certainly moved the focus from ‘me’ to ‘we’, thus stimulating sentiments of gratitude and thankfulness towards one’s offline and online communities. This Diwali, as people come together in celebration, be it physically or virtually, with our new emoji we want to encourage them to continue to #LightUpALife with positive conversations and acts of kindness.”

Twitter India has also partnered with several non-governmental organisations - Let Me Breathe, the Observer Research Foundation, Social Media Matters, and the School Leaders Network Foundation - to further the dialogue around human camaraderie. These NGOs, in order to support and encourage conversations on critical issues, will be Tweeting out Twitter Lists of credible sources for people to follow for information on environmental conservation and sustainability, internet freedom, education and equality.