Patna: A 24-year-old youth from Bihar has completed a journey that few people in the world attempt. Shubham Kumar, known online as Nomad Shubham, has visited all 197 countries recognised globally, becoming one of the youngest Indians and Asians to do so.
Shubham, who hails from Munger district, marked his final stop in Brazil earlier this week, bringing to a close a journey that began nearly a decade ago when he was still a teenager. What started as a fascination sparked by travel videos on YouTube turned into a full-time pursuit that redefined his life. He left behind the conventional route of engineering coaching and stable employment to chase what he has often described as a “crazy dream”.
Unlike luxury influencers documenting five-star stays, Shubham’s travels were defined by thrift and improvisation. He relied on hitchhiking, local buses, budget hostels and the hospitality of strangers. In earlier interviews and videos, he said he sometimes managed on the equivalent of a few hundred rupees a day. “With just a backpack and a crazy dream, I’ve walked thousands of kilometres, slept in the cheapest rooms and vans, and crossed borders with hope, fear and excitement all mixed together,” he said in a recent video reflecting on the milestone.
The journey was not without obstacles. Travelling on an Indian passport often meant lengthy visa processes and rejections. There were language barriers, political instability in certain regions and periods of financial uncertainty. Shubham has spoken about nights spent at petrol stations, days stranded at borders and moments when he questioned whether to continue. In one of his YouTube reflections, he described giving up “comfort, stability and a predictable future” in exchange for experience and perspective.
Through it all, he documented his travels on his YouTube channel, building an audience of millions who followed his raw, often unfiltered accounts of life on the road. His videos capture encounters with remote communities, challenging terrain and cultural exchanges that go beyond typical tourism. For many young viewers in India, his journey has become proof that international travel is not reserved only for the wealthy.
As he closes this chapter in Brazil, Shubham has indicated he plans to focus on deeper storytelling and helping others navigate global travel more practically.
