From Teaching Mathematics to Inspiring Millions Online

An inspiring story of Asha Gauri Shankar (Khyaal Club Member)

“For as long as I can remember, mathematics has fascinated me. To me, it never felt like a subject that needed to be “studied.” Instead, it always felt like a game - a puzzle waiting to be solved.

My name is Asha Gauri Shankar, and I am a 76-year-old mathematics professor from Delhi. This fascination led me to pursue higher studies in mathematics. I completed my Master’s degree in Mathematics from the University of Delhi and began my teaching career soon afterwards. Alongside teaching, I continued my academic journey and pursued advanced studies in Numerical Analysis at Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine, London, where I earned my first PhD. Later, I completed another PhD in Topology from Chaudhary Charan Singh University, India.

Over the years, I realised that most students were not weak in mathematics; they were simply afraid of it. I wanted to change that perception. So I began introducing hands-on activities, puzzles, mathematical competitions, and creative ideas such as mathematical embroidery, poems, and geometric rangoli. Gradually, students began to experience mathematics with curiosity and joy rather than fear. I was later honoured with the “Teacher of Excellence” award from the University of Delhi. This recognition remains very close to my heart.

I formally retired in 2014 after more than forty years of teaching. But retirement made me wonder what I could do next. Soon after, I joined the CBSE Udaan Project as a mentor, guiding girls from economically weaker backgrounds who were interested in pursuing engineering. I also became associated with an NGO, Gyan Aadhar Welfare Society, where I help underprivileged children learn basic mathematics, reading, writing, hygiene, and essential life skills.

Then the pandemic arrived in 2020, and like many others, I suddenly found myself confined at home. After decades of teaching and constant engagement with students, the sudden stillness felt unfamiliar. It was during this time that I came across Khyaal and decided to become a member.

Khyaal conducted daily online sessions for seniors: yoga, meditation, music, tambola, and digital learning. Before long, I found myself eagerly looking forward to these sessions. They kept me positively engaged and gave me a wonderful sense of belonging with other members of the Khyaal community.

I loved attending the digital learning sessions, in particular. In these sessions, we learned simple but useful skills - how to book a cab online, how to use social media apps, how to shop online, and many other things. One day, there was a session on “how to shoot a video?” I attended it, and the thought stayed with me.

That single session gave me the confidence to try something new. I used to watch YouTube and other social media platforms, and I wondered, “Why not try making videos myself?” And once I started, there was no looking back. I decided to make videos about something I love deeply - Mathematics.

Of course, it was easier said than done. I had to learn everything from scratch, how to shoot a video, how to edit it, how to upload it, and even how to position the phone correctly. In the beginning, recording even a one-minute video could take two hours. Sometimes the microphone battery would die without my noticing. At other times, the phone would be in photo mode instead of video mode. Sometimes the camera angle was wrong, or the background looked messy. But I kept going.

My husband helped by setting up the phone using stacks of books. My driver helped arrange stands. One day, a long-lost friend, Principal C. P. Verma, contacted me and kindly came home to teach me the basics of editing. I am forever grateful to him. Slowly, piece by piece, everything began to fall into place. By May 2025, I finally started uploading my videos.

Initially, I made both long and short videos, but soon I began creating short puzzle videos, matchstick puzzles, logical riddles, mathematical curiosities, and brain teasers. These were small ideas that triggered big thinking. People began enjoying them, and gradually my channel started to grow.

Today I run two YouTube channels- “Maths with Asha Gauri Shankar” for longer explanatory videos and “Maths Shorts with Asha Gauri Shankar” for short puzzle videos. Within just seven months, one of my channels crossed 100,000 subscribers and received the YouTube Silver Play Button!!

My mathematical puzzles now reach viewers across the world through YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook. Many people follow these platforms regularly, and it is deeply satisfying to see how a simple puzzle can spark curiosity and conversation among learners of all ages.

But honestly, I never saw this as success. For me, the real reward is when someone writes in the comments: “I used to fear mathematics, but your puzzles made me enjoy it.”

Today, I have created hundreds of videos and continue posting regularly. Many viewers come from different countries, even places where English is not widely spoken. In the future, I hope to create versions of my content in other languages using modern tools such as AI translation, so that students everywhere can enjoy mathematical thinking. Because mathematics is not just about numbers, it is about curiosity.

And my message to fellow seniors is simple: “Learn something new, simply because it brings you joy. After all, learning never retires, and curiosity never grows old.” - Asha Gauri Shankar (Khyaal Club Member)