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Viral 'Bandana Girl' donates most of X payout to Chennai NGO: 'Interacting with this for the last time'
The woman revealed that she donated most of the money to a Chennai-based non-profit organisation working with autistic people.
The woman popularly known online as “Bandana girl”, who went viral last month after posting a short autorickshaw video on X, has shared an update on what she did with the payout she received from the platform. In a post dated December 8, the woman revealed that she donated most of the money to a Chennai-based non-profit organisation working with autistic people.
The internet sensation, whose identity remains undisclosed, briefly returned to X to make the announcement. Tagging her viral clip, she wrote that she had donated “most of my payout to Swabhimaan Trust in Chennai, a trust for adolescents and young adults with autism”. She added that she had previously worked with the organisation during her graduation project and vouched for the work they do in making therapy accessible to neurodivergent individuals.
(Also Read: ‘Bandana girl’ locks X account after her photos are misused using AI: 'This has real-life consequences')
Who is ‘Bandana girl’?
For those who missed the trend, the woman shot to sudden online fame on November 2 after sharing a short video of herself travelling in an autorickshaw. Dressed in a white top, silver earrings, subtle makeup and a bandana tied around her head, the clip struck a chord with viewers and quickly racked up millions of views. It also spawned memes, recreations and comments across social media, earning her the nickname “Bandana girl”.
However, the attention soon turned overwhelming. In a post on X, she alleged that her photos were misused to create AI-generated images without her consent, which is why she decided to lock her X account. She also stated that the rapid virality had begun affecting her personal life.
(Also Read: ‘Bandana Girl’ breaks the internet — and a Bengaluru founder’s job post too)
Social media reactions
Now, in her latest post, she explained that Swabhimaan Trust focuses on providing therapeutic support and resources for adolescents and young adults with autism, ensuring that different types of therapy remain within reach.
Her gesture has been widely appreciated online. Several users praised her for putting her unexpected fame to good use. One user wrote, “Post gets viral > gets a huge payout > donates most of it to a trust for autistic kids. Respect.”
Another commented, “She came back just to announce that she donated the majority of her payout to a trust that supports people with autism. That’s rare.”
Others hailed her decision as a reminder that viral moments can be channelled into meaningful impact, calling her act generous and commendable.
