Memes are everywhere, whether it's in our chat groups on WhatsApp or Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. "Memes have emerged as a kind of lingua franca when it comes to digital communication," says Krishanu Neog, a doctoral student exploring the role of memes in digital populism and social media at JNU's Centre for Political Studies.

"I decided to study memes because I could see a lot of political conversations unfold through them. Political commentary can be snuck in using humour, among people who might otherwise claim to be apolitical. Humour makes this process more palatable. Activists, advocacy groups and even the digital wings of political parties have become increasingly meme-savvy," he adds.