Nick Booker, a 43-year-old British man from Somerset, England, has won millions of fans with his interesting videos telling lesser-known facts of Indian history. Booker has garnered 259K followers on his Instagram @indogenius. He has now become quite famous in digital storytelling.

Arrival in India

Booker’s journey to India began unexpectedly in 2006. “I had never planned to come to India, not even as a tourist,” he said. However, after months of research and considering other places such as China, the US and Australia, Booker chose India. “I felt India would be the country that would have the most significant influence in the 21st century,” he said.

After two years of frequent travel, he decided to settle in Delhi in 2008. “I fell in love with the city for its trees, parks and historical monuments. I was also inspired by the energy of Delhiites. It was here that I met my wife, Mitu Soni, and since then we have been exploring Indian culture closely,” he says.

Even his first-ever viral video in the history of Delhi’s INA market has garnered over 1.4 million views and this too was a result of a discussion with his wife.

the source of his ideas

Booker’s approach to content creation is organic. “I talk about whatever I see in front of me. There is no plan or structure,” he says. His vast collection of over ten thousand books and journal papers on India fuels his curiosity and provides a wealth of information.

“My favourite readings include the essays of Ananda Coomaraswamy, the works of Sri Aurobindo and Faces of Glory by William Anderson,” he says.

In a recent project, Booker discovered surprising connections between bangles, the Mahabharata and jellybeans, which are linked to the natural resin lac, produced by the lac insect Carya lacca.

Also read: Meet Ruchika Sharma, a historian who busts history myths through a makeup video

He says, “Lacquer, used in products such as nail polish and jellybean coatings, is also significant in the Mahabharata’s story of the ‘house of lacquer.'” This kind of detailed, cross-cultural storytelling is typical of Booker’s work.

He said, “Lac is exported from Jharkhand all over the world. The Battle of Plassey is also related to lac. ‘Plassey’ is the English translation of the local word ‘Palashi’, which is derived from the abundance of Palaash trees in the region and most of the lac insects grow on Palaash trees.”

His further plans

Booker admits that one of the biggest challenges in his work is understanding the multiple narratives that exist around a single historical event or artwork. “For example, when researching the golden vase on top of the Taj Mahal, I found several conflicting accounts from different sources,” he explains.

Despite these challenges, Booker finds immense satisfaction in making history accessible. “It is a huge honor for me to share these stories. I often get messages from abroad too who appreciate how my videos help their children learn about India in a fun and interesting way.”

Looking to the future, Booker plans to explore India’s diverse regions through the lens of their unique crops. He is also launching an online course aimed at inspiring Indians, especially young students considering studying abroad, to appreciate their country’s rich history, spirituality, and philosophy.

Get the latest news live on Times Now, along with breaking news and top headlines from across the globe, travelogue and more.