Maths teacher by day, gamer by night: 54 year-old Rakesh Sharma shatters stereotypes

Rakesh Sharma, a math teacher by profession, is proving that passion knows no age bar. At 54, the mathematics teacher-turned-gamer has gone viral with an impressive number of over 173K subscribers on his YouTube channel “Beta Aisa Hai”. A following built within just six months of it going live, challenging the notion that gaming is only for the younger age group.

Known as Rakesh Sir to his students, he also has a strong Instagram following of 524K, who enjoy his witty sarcasm. Once dreamed of joining the Indian Army, his destiny led him to a fulfilling career in teaching instead, where he continues to mentor his students. From a mathematics professor at a government college, his journey into content creation began unexpectedly when he started watching his son play games on his mobile.

Sharma, managed by OP Gaming, a vertical of influencer marketing agency Opraahfx, expressed,“I come from the city of Bulandshahr and with so many new things coming into trend, I never imagined I would start taking an interest in gaming. It was my son’s idea to upload my gameplay videos and the response was surprisingly positive and overwhelming,”

Sharma’s growing popularity has already caught the attention of major brands and he has already collaborated with reputed brands like Blinkit, Swiggy, Myntra, Prime Video, and more, validating that his influence extends far beyond gaming.

“I guess people liked the idea that the community is becoming more diverse and the stigma that gaming is just limited to younger age groups can be shattered. I hope more people can join in and make their name, creating a broader perception,“ he further added.

India’s gaming industry is on a rapid rise. According to Lumikai’s State of India Interactive Media and Gaming Report, the country recorded 15.2 billion mobile gaming app downloads in 2024, making it the second-largest gaming market globally. The sector is projected to grow to $9.2 billion by 2029, highlighting immense opportunities for new creators like Sharma.

His journey is a testament to the fact that gaming transcends age, background, and profession, bringing people together through shared passion and entertainment.