Who is ‘Dehati Madam’ Yashoda Lodhi? Priyanka Chopra shared her video; from 12th-pass homemaker to English teacher with lakhs of followers

Yashoda belongs to Lodhan Ka Purwa village in the Sirathu Nagar panchayat of Kaushambi district, Uttar Pradesh.

Yashoda Lodhi, popularly known online as “English With Dehati Madam”, recently found herself in the spotlight after actor Priyanka Chopra Jonas shared one of her videos on Instagram. For Yashoda, the moment was significant not simply because a celebrity had noticed her work, but because of how far she had come from her early days of learning English herself. In a new video posted on Instagram, Yashoda spoke about the unexpected attention her work received after Priyanka shared her video. “Friends, little did I know that Priyanka Chopra Jonas ma’am would share my video on her story,” she said.Yashoda recalled that she had gone to the farm the previous day and had planned to make a video there. She said her husband called her while she was trying to record, and she eventually made and posted the video. “And then something truly unexpected happened. Priyanka Chopra Jonas ma’am shared my video on her story. And she has made my day really special for me,” Yashoda said.

She also said that she reached 4 lakh followers on Instagram that day. “Yes, friends. So, for many people, it might just be a story. But for me, it really means a lot.” She said the moment reminded her that small efforts can sometimes reach people one does not expect.“It reminded me that you never know where your small efforts can take you.” “From a village girl working in her fields to seeing my small piece of content to reach someone, I admire so much. The moment is truly special.” Yashoda thanked Priyanka for noticing and sharing her work and said the gesture had motivated her to continue. “Never underestimate your small efforts. You never know who is watching,” she said.Yashoda belongs to Lodhan Ka Purwa village in the Sirathu Nagar panchayat of Kaushambi district, Uttar Pradesh. When she was about a year old, her bua and fufa (uncle) took her to Ludhiana in Punjab because they did not have a child. She grew up there. Her formal education ended after Class 12.

“I just passed Class 12”

She teaches regularly on her YouTube channel “English with Dehati Madam.”

When asked about her education, Yashoda said she studied until Class 12 while living with her aunt and uncle. “I didn’t do much. I just passed Class 12.” She had considered studying further, but her uncle reached retirement age and his salary stopped. With no source of income left at home, she had to give up her plans for further education. “I had thought of studying further, but my uncle had become quite old. When you turn 60, you retire from the company. He was working in a private limited company, so his salary also stopped. There was no source of income at home. Because of that, I had to leave it,” she said. Today, the absence of a college degree is one of the defining facts of her story. She did not have formal training in English teaching either. Yashoda built her online career by teaching spoken English to villagers and homemakers and has crossed 4 lakh YouTube subscribers.

English became a need, not just a subject

In an interview with F5 Storytellers, Yashoda said that she first experimented with a motivation channel and later tried vlogging, but neither worked for her. She eventually started watching videos about English conversations and became interested in speaking the language herself. At the same time, her husband was bedridden, and she felt she needed to find a way to earn from home. That was when English became more than something she wanted to learn. It became connected to the question of how she could work.

She practiced listening for just 15 days before starting

In an interview with F5 Storytellers, Yashoda said she had never really spoken English before and did not know what the first step to learning it should be. She began by listening to other people’s videos and imitating what she heard. After about 15 days of listening practice, she started her own channel and began speaking in her own way. People responded to her videos, and she said her channel was monetised within a month, with her first payment arriving the following month. She launched her YouTube channel on December 26, 2023. Her videos focus on spoken English, everyday conversations and phrases that viewers can use in ordinary situations rather than treating English as a purely academic subject.

Her husband initially told her YouTube would not make money

The early stage was not free of doubt. Yashoda said she struggled with self-doubt because she did not have anyone around her who could correct her English. Her husband also initially told her that YouTube would not bring money and that she was wasting her time. She continued anyway. Eventually, she said, he told her to do whatever she wanted, and she kept making videos and practising.

The accident that changed her family’s circumstances

One of the most difficult periods she recalled was her husband’s accident on December 28, 2019. According to Yashoda, he was travelling on a bike when a drunk driver of a small commercial vehicle coming from the wrong side hit him. She said he suffered serious injuries, including a fractured leg, an injury near his eye and damage to his fingers that eventually resulted in amputations. He remained bedridden for around seven to eight months. Around the same period, their wheat crop caught fire. Yashoda recalled that they ate rotis made from the burnt wheat that year.

Why does she call herself ‘Dehati Madam’?

For Yashoda, “Dehati” is not simply a label. She said the word represents people from villages and rural areas, including people from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. Through her channel, she sees herself as representing them. She records lessons from home, often in a saree and bindi, and teaches English in a straightforward way.

Who is Yashoda Lodhi beyond ‘English With Dehati Madam’?

Yashoda describes herself as a simple woman who loves her family and says she can do anything for them. In an interview with F5 Storytellers, she also spoke about wanting to challenge the way society thinks about women. She said women are often not allowed to move forward and girls can still be viewed primarily through the expectation that they should get married. She wants to challenge that thinking and make her family proud. Her journey began far away from the online audience she has today.