I keep travelling, so for now—yes—I’m somewhere,” says Dhruv Rathee. While we speak to him, he is “somewhere” in Europe where it’s 9.30 am. Fortunately, he can work from anywhere. Rathee has been making YouTube videos since 2014—explainer-like pieces—on burning issues, with the sole intent of educating his audience. Last week, he was featured in TIME Magazine’s 2023 list of Next Generation Leaders; his 13.2 million subscribers tell us that he is a figure the public is definitely looking up to. “It’s such an honour. The magazine is so well respected, so it means a lot,” says the 29-year-old.

Originally from Rohtak, Haryana, he studied mechanical engineering in Germany, before becoming a full-time YouTuber. His latest video, which explains the Israel-Palestine issue in Hindi, already has eight million views. We spoke to Rathee about the social responsibility he feels towards India and its issues, and how he navigates it.