Dhruv Rathee began his YouTube journey with travel videos, armed with little more than a camera and an interest in documenting his experiences. Today, he is known for explaining politics, history and social issues to millions of viewers.
His career path combines engineering, higher studies in Germany and a growing interest in digital storytelling.
FROM ENGINEERING TO ECONOMICS AND POLITICAL SCIENCE
Rathee completed his bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering before pursuing a master’s degree in renewable energy at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) in Germany. His education did not stop there. According to his official website, he also pursued a second bachelor’s degree in Economics and Political Science.
This combination of technical and social science education offers an interesting backdrop to his later work, which often involves breaking down complex political and public policy issues for a wider audience.
HIS FIRST YOUTUBE VIDEO TOOK TWO MONTHS TO EDIT
Rathee started posting travel videos on YouTube in 2014 while studying in Germany. His first video was a travel vlog filmed on an iPhone 5s. In an interview with Al Jazeera, he said he spent more than two months editing it.
Political commentary came later. He uploaded his first political commentary video on September 16, 2016, marking a shift towards the content that would eventually define much of his public profile.
HOW HE BUILT HIS YOUTUBE CAREER
Rathee initially handled the work behind his videos himself, including research, scripting and editing. According to Al Jazeera, he continued working alone until 2020, after which he built a team to support the growing demands of his channel.
His work eventually reached audiences far beyond his early travel-video viewers. In 2023, TIME named Rathee to its Next Generation Leaders list, describing his work on Hindi-language videos that fact-check trending topics.
A CAREER BEYOND HIS DEGREE
Rathee’s journey illustrates how a person’s career can extend well beyond their formal qualification. His engineering background, further studies in economics and political science, and experience with digital storytelling have all formed part of his professional journey.
Rather than following a single academic specialisation into one profession, he developed a career as a digital creator, using video to explain subjects that shape public debate. His story offers students a reminder that education can provide a foundation for careers that may look very different from the degree they first pursue.
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