Meet Rishi Sharma: The Indian-American man on a mission to preserve American history from WWII, interviewing 3,000 veterans over the past decade
The United States recently celebrated its 250th anniversary of independence on July 4, 2026. The country, now the world’s tallest and most powerful democracy, has also experienced wars and battles. As historians and museums work to protect and preserve those parts of the past that help keep the present alive, one man of Indian descent has been on a mission to preserve what may soon become history.Rishi Sharma is an Indian-American man living in the United States who has been working to protect America’s natural resources for over a decade Second World War history. He traveled across the country interviewing all World War II veterans about their roles in the war and their life journeys.The 28-year-old has interviewed more than 3,000 veterans so far, but his work isn’t over yet. “I’ve been interviewing every World War II veteran for the last ten years,” he told CBS. “Honestly, I’ve been doing this every day for the last ten years.”
Interview with Veterans
The 28-year-old has interviewed more than 3,000 veterans, but his work isn’t done yet
Rishi recently spoke with 100-year-old Marine Corps veteran Nils Mockler of Yorktown, New York. Niles was a combat intelligence scout whose first battle was the Battle of Iwo Jima, one of the bloodiest and most inspiring battles in Marine Corps history. “What does it mean to you to see the American flag raised?” Rich asked Niles.“Well, the hairs on my arms still stand up when I think about how beautiful it is,” Niles said.
childhood dream
Rishi, 18, had just graduated from high school and began his journey in Southern California communities, recording interviews with veterans. For ten years, he traveled to fifty states including Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, and France.He quickly expanded his reach, creating a map of the places he hoped to visit in the coming years. “There were real superhero World War II veterans out there, and I wanted to meet them,” Rishi said in 2016.Interestingly, his passion for World War II history did not come from a family tradition. His parents immigrated to the United States from India and he had no military background. But he has been interested in World War II history since high school.His project, “Remembering World War II,” is funded by donations, and Risch spoke with veterans for hours before handing the recordings to the families. He does not take any salary himself, and all donations are used to pay for veterans’ travel expenses to be photographed.He also posted an interactive video on his Weibo Youtube Rishi Sharma’s channel “Remember WWII” has 172,000 subscribers.
Preserving history and heritage
“It’s their quiet advice that guides the ship of this country,” he said.
Ten years ago, when Rishi started his project, there were approximately 700,000 World War II veterans around the world. Today, only about 30,000 people remain.According to him, when they all die, probably within the next decade or so, America will lose more than just a bunch of old war stories. “Because they have been the moral compass of our society for so long,” he said. “It’s the advice they quietly provide that guides the ship of this country.”Through his mission, Risch reminded the nation that the longevity and freedom they enjoy today are due in large part to the veterans who gave their lives serving the United States of America.
