How the digital cult of Neeraj Tanwar Pepsu is creating a mythology about the Gujjar community

Neeraj Tanwar, or Pepsu, became a pivotal figure in creating a new digital mythology and an alternative history that continues to circulate in online spaces, far removed from the domain of professional historians.

Born in 1987 in Fatehpur Beri, he established his own gym and trained dozens of young men. He was also known as the Sher of Gujjar (“Lion of Gujjars”), a title few dared to dispute. What propelled him to fame wasn’t merely his formidable physique but also his ability to project authority through his muscles. He believed strength had to be shown, spoken about and shared. And so he did, online, every day, through TikTok videos.

But life doesn’t move to TikTok’s beat; it refuses to wrap up in sixty seconds. The cheerful gym poses masked a slower undercurrent, crawling like the int