Rakesh, born in London in 1974, has been captivated by cricket from an early age. Growing up watching his father, an East African Indian who captained the Kenyan International Cricket Team, Rakesh’s own passion for the game flourished during his teens. A pivotal moment came in 1990 when he witnessed his first international match, England vs India at Trent Bridge, where he saw a young Sachin Tendulkar in action. This fueled his love for cricket, which later led to the creation of The Bharat Army in 1999 during the ICC Cricket World Cup.
As the founder of The Bharat Army, Rakesh has seen it grow from a small group of passionate fans into one of the world’s largest sporting fan clubs with over 200,000 members. The Bharat Army has expanded further through initiatives like Bharat Army Travel, an ICC Official Travel Partner since 2017, and its three-tier membership program. With over 2 million social media followers and a prominent presence in stadiums worldwide, Rakesh continues to lead the charge, making The Bharat Army a global community and a driving force in the cricket world. Outside of his cricket endeavors, Rakesh is a Senior Partner at SThree Group PLC, where he has built a successful career in the STEM staffing industry.
