Dhruv Rathee Biography, Age, Wife, Controversies
Dhruv Rathee was born on 8 October 1994 into a Hindu Jat family in Haryana, India. Rathee spent his formative years in Haryana, where he completed his primary education. He later pursued higher education in Germany, where he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology. Rathee continued his academic journey there, earning a master’s degree in Renewable Energy, which further informed his passion for environmental topics and public policy.
| Full Name | Dhruv Rathee |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth | 8 October 1994 |
| Birthplace | Haryana, India |
| Age | As of now, Dhruv Rathee is 30 years old. |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Residence | Germany |
| Profession | YouTuber, Vlogger, Social Media Activist |
| Spouse | Juli Lbr |
| Notable Channels | Dhruv Rathee, Dhruv Rathee Vlogs, Dhruv Rathee Shorts |
| Subscribers | ~28.7 million (across all channels, as of June 2024) |
| Notable Work | Pee News, DW Travel, Decode with Dhruv, Maha Bharat Podcast |
| Recognition | Included in TIME’s Next Generation Leaders (2023) |
Career
Rathee began his journey on YouTube in 2013, initially posting travel content. However, by the end of 2013, he shifted focus toward political, social, and environmental topics, using YouTube as a platform for political commentary and fact-checking. He gained recognition for his detailed explanatory content, often covering complex political issues with an analytical approach.
One of Rathee’s popular segments is Pee News, a satirical take on current events that critiques misinformation and biases in media. From 2017 to early 2020, he also contributed opinion columns to ThePrint, where he voiced his perspectives on various socio-political issues in India. His analysis, however, has sparked debates; for instance, his coverage of the 2018 BJP-AAP altercation was criticized as incomplete, leading some to accuse him of selective reporting.
In 2020, Rathee launched Dhruv Rathee Vlogs, where he shares travel vlogs documenting his global journeys. His work in travel media extended to hosting DW Travel on Deutsche Welle and Decode with Dhruv on Netflix India. Rathee also hosts a podcast on Spotify, titled Maha Bharat with Dhruv Rathee, where he discusses historical and contemporary issues in India.
Continuing his engagement with digital audiences, Rathee introduced a shorts channel in February 2022, focusing on 30-second fact-based videos to make information accessible and digestible. His influence in the digital space was further highlighted in 2024, when he launched five new channels in Indian regional languages, including Tamil, Telugu, Bengali, Marathi, and Kannada, expanding his reach across linguistic demographics in India.
Controversies
Despite his popularity, Rathee’s career has seen its share of controversies:
- Distorted Map of India (2022): In September 2022, the Indian Ministry of Information and Broadcasting blocked one of Rathee’s videos discussing the political crisis in Pakistan. The video allegedly contained a distorted map of India, displaying parts of Kashmir as disputed territory or within Pakistan, which violated Indian laws on territorial integrity.
- Copyright Dispute with Dabur (2023): Rathee faced legal action from Dabur after posting a video titled “The Dark Side of Cold Drinks,” where he critiqued the cold beverage industry. In March 2023, the Calcutta High Court ordered social media platforms to remove the video following Dabur’s complaint, marking a notable instance of corporate pushback against Rathee’s investigative content.
Personal Life
Residing in Germany, Rathee is married to Juli Lbr, his long-time girlfriend, with whom he tied the knot in a private ceremony at the Belvedere Palace in Vienna, Austria, in November 2021. In September 2024, the couple welcomed their first child, a moment that Rathee shared with his followers, giving them a glimpse into his personal life beyond the camera.
In the Media
In 2023, Rathee’s contributions to digital media were recognized by TIME Magazine, which included him in their list of Next Generation Leaders, acknowledging his influence as a social commentator in India.
Social Media Presence and Statistics
As of June 2024, Rathee commands a substantial following, boasting approximately 28.7 million subscribers across his various YouTube channels and a cumulative total of 4.86 billion video views. His channels are broken down as follows:
- Dhruv Rathee: 22.2 million subscribers, 3.3 billion views
- Dhruv Rathee Vlogs: 2.81 million subscribers, 0.5 billion views
- Dhruv Rathee Shorts: 3.72 million subscribers, 1.8 billion views
Dhruv Rathee’s journey from an engineering student to a significant voice in Indian socio-political discourse illustrates the power of digital platforms in shaping public opinion. Through fact-checking, satirical content, and discussions on critical issues, Rathee continues to engage audiences worldwide, providing a unique perspective on the complexities of modern Indian society.
