WB Wellbeing Magazine March 2022

www.bwwellbeingworld.com MARCH 2022 I ` 300

INSIDE CREATING
HIS
India in the global
$1.5 trillion PASSION
PIVOT
wellness industry
BW Wellbeing A leap of
40 Under 40 faith that
– Meet The pushed Luke
Winners Coutinho on a
path towards
pursuing his
passion for
health and
wellness, has
given India
a revisit on
how lifestyle
changes lives

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www.bwwellbeingworld.com MARCH 2022 I ` 300

Arpit Bharat Deepti
Sharma Sachdeva Pathak

Moumita Sumeet
Nandy Chilwal

Advait
Yogbhushan

Swati
Chawla

Amaresh
Ojha

Ameve

Jannifer S. Nabhit Kapur Noor Arora Sharma
Prabhu
Joshua PUSHINGSonia
Samuel Nmami
Kararha Agarwal

FORWARD THE Nakshi
WHOLESOME Satra
Lovneet
Batra

REVOLUTION

Rishi Prity BW Wellbeing 40 Under 40 Jaivardhan
Baveja Banerjee 2021 evangelists of the Agarwal
change in the health and
Shobha Rana wellness space in India

Rohit Karishma
Dhingra Shah

Mehakdeep
Singh

Saumya Kuldeep Tapan Mishra
Sharma Kumar
Dimpya
Pallav M M Hari Anuradha Mahanta Ashutosh
Bihani Krishnan Bharat Thatte

Ilashree Goswami Disha Verma
Sarvesh
Sakshi Shashi
Patil

Puru Richa
Verma Singh

Sahil Gupta Pritika Singh



EDITOR-IN-CHIEF’S NOTE

KEEP CALM & GROW

ANNURAG BATRA The wellbeing sector, estimated globally to be at $1.5 trillion by McKinsey
earlier this year, continues to be an industry in transition even before the
 [email protected] pandemic. In India, the market was placed at about Rs 490 billion by
FICCI earlier this year. In both cases, the numbers focus more on the sector
itself. If one had to broad-base this and include the economy of wellness,
which would then comprise wellness tourism, wellness real estate, the spa
economy, so on and so forth, this would quadruple at the very least.

Wellbeing’s magic in India is not new. It is a sector that in all its forms
is gaining significant traction in India. On the one hand, India is home to
some of the most celebrated and embraced wellbeing practices, Ayurveda
and yoga being among the most popularly cited, hence taking India to the
world. On the other hand, India is becoming an important market for this
sector globally, hence attracting the attention of international players and
their offers. Wellbeing is well placed on a growth trajectory, which became
even more resilient after the crisis of the pandemic that had adversely hit
this sector as well.

If consumer behaviour, laced with increased awareness in current times,
became the key trigger for this growth, the rise of digital further spurred
it into action. Yet another ace up its sleeve is its ability to work with other
sectors. The likes of healthcare, media, retail, gaming, hospitality and
education are all impacted and work directly and indirectly with this sector.
The result is that there are several facets to the growth of the sector.

What encourages me the most though is that wellbeing itself is attracting
high calibre talent as a career choice. We, whether as a company, community
or country, are what the people of that unit are. Even though the shift is
gradual, the people who are leading the wellness sector in India are
evangelising the sector itself – both in India and beyond. Our cover interview
is with one such individual. My conversation with Luke Coutinho was
energetic and calm all at once. I hope the story of his journey inspires more
such leaders.

We also celebrate BW Wellbeing 40 Under 40 in this issue. A whole
new generation of leaders come to the fore in this, whose work is making a
difference in many lives. This jury-led process was rigorous and a learning
experience for me.

Wellbeing in India is poised for growth in the digital era we live in. While
we have captured some of the trends here, I am convinced the next year will
see more rise and grow as this sector transforms further.

BW WELLBEINGWORLD | MARCH 2022

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CONTENTS
VOLUME 02, ISSUE 02 MARCH 2022

32

COVER STORY

Breaking New Ground:

What is it that drove lifestyle
coach Luke Coutinho to abandon
a cushy corporate job in the tech
sector to make an unconventional
career as a nutritionist?

The globally-renowned lifestyle
coach Luke Coutinho works in
the field of integrative medicine
and is an award-winning holistic
nutritionist. In this conversation
with Annurag Batra, Editor-in-
Chief of BW Businessworld Group,
Coutinho takes us down memory
lane to tell us what pushed him
onto this game-changing journey

BW WELLBEINGWORLD | MARCH 2022

10 TheWellnessCorner 76 MehakdeepSingh 114 SwatiChawla
78 Moumita Nandy 116 TapanMishra
12Columns: 80 Nabhit Kapur 118 Shortlisted@#BWWellbeing
82 NakshiSatra
Suzy Singh (p.12), Mamta Shah (p.14), 84 NmamiAgarwal 40 under 40
Nidhi Ajay Yadav (p.16), Palak Mehta (p.18) 86 NoorArora
88 Pallav Bihani 138 FestivalofWellbeing
20Feature: 90 PritikaSingh
92 PrityBanerjee SPOTLIGHT:
Wellness Resorts 94 PuruVarma
96 RichaSingh 142 BKShivani
22In-Depth: 98 Rohit Dhingra 144 Rinpoche
100 SahilGupta 146 MickeyMehta
Wellbeing in the digital age 102 SakshiPatil 148 SamirSoni
104 Sarvesh Shashi 150 SamirParikh
26 In-Depth: 106 SaumyaSharma 152 LukeCoutinho
108 ShobhaRana 153 RanveerBrar
The Rhythmic Lull 110 SoniaKaraha 160 BookReview:
112 SumeetChilwal
30Spotlight: A Silent Whisper by Julia Cameron
BW WELLBEINGWORLD | MARCH 2022 Quarantined - Love in the Time of Corona
The Business of Wealth by Dr. Mahul Brahma

32 Coverstory: 164 Recipe:

Breaking New Ground: Tossed and Twirled in Greens
Luke Coutinho’s Journey
166
40 UNDER 40:
Last Word:
Celebrating the wellness change agents Gour Gopal Das

40 Advait Yogbhushan TOTAL NO. OF PAGES INCLUDING COVER 140
42 Ameve Sharma
44 AmareshOjha
46 AnuradhaBharat
48 ArpitSharma
50 Ashutosh Thatte
52 BharatSachdeva
54 DeeptiPathak
56 DimpyMahanta
58 DishaVarma
60 HariKrishnan
62 IlashreeGoswami
64 JaivardhanAgarwal
66 Jennifer S Prabhu
68 Joshua Samuel
70 KarishmaShah
72 KuldeepKumar
74 LovneetBatra

10 THE WELLNESS CORNER

HEART HEALTH
– ONE OF THE
MOST IMPORTANT
THINGS IN OUR
LIVES TODAY

W ith immense stress and uncertainty in today’s world, with a healthy heart. The recommended daily calorie intake is 2,000
heart health has become a point of concern. A calories a day for women and 2,500 for men. A peaceful and healthy
large number of people, whether aged or young, breakfast is essential for the smooth functioning of our heart. Walk-
are facing heart problems today. To keep one’s ing and other forms of cardio are extremely important for keeping
heart healthy, positivity is the answer. As we get negative thoughts, our heart healthy. Cardio is essential for the proper pumping of blood
our body functions towards that negative energy. Meditation and from our heart and reducing weight so that the heart can beat for a
practicing mindfulness has been associated with improvement in lighter body, hence giving it more power to function well.
mental health and improving blood pressure which is important to
maintain a healthy heart. Counting our calories is a major plus to live

BENEFITS OF SURYA NAMASKAR IN
TODAY’S SCENARIO

Doing Surya Namaskar on a daily basis is very
beneficial mentally, physically and even emotion-
ally. It helps in the process of weight loss and also
stimulates the thyroid gland and increases hormonal
secretion. For women, it regulates their menstrual
cycle. With the pandemic still affecting us mental-
ly in terms of fear and uncertainty, doing a Surya
Namaskar, reduces anxiety. As for our physical
appearance it gives one glowing skin and is good for
our hair health. It also helps in body detoxification
and helps a person sleep much better. Along with im-
proving our digestive system it helps in body detox-
ification. Strengthening muscles and joints, it surely
inspires people to practice it on a daily basis. It also
keeps blood sugar levels in control. On a conclusive
note we can say that this is one of the simplest and
most beneficial forms of body movement and gives
the person more confidence and self-esteem.

BW WELLBEINGWORLD | MARCH 2022

THE WELLNESS CORNER 11

IMPORTANCE OF VITAMIN D DURING
THE PANDEMIC

Sunlight is the best form of Vitamin D. During the
lockdown and the waves of the pandemic people
barely got out in the sun. Instead people can indulge
in eating foods like fish – sardines and salmon, Okra,
spinach, kale, white beans and soybeans etc. These
are rich in Vitamin D and also are very healthy from a
holistic point of view. According to a recent research,
the daily recommended dietary intake (RDI) level of
vitamin D is 600 IU for people under 70 years and 800
IU for people over 70 years. Vitamin D is a fat soluble
nutrient which keeps are teeth healthy as well. Due
to being away from the sunlight during the lockdown,
vitamin D levels dropped in people, significantly. The
elderly especially, started complaining of pain in their
joints. This alarmed people and they starting consum-
ing vitamin D super foods. People also tried to step
out a bit into the natural sun’s rays.

SOCIAL ANXIETY DURING THE
PANDEMIC

The pandemic did not affect people physically only.
It also affected them financially and emotionally. The
most deadly way it impacted people on this planet was,
mentally. People got used to sitting at home and not
socialising for almost 2 years. There was a lot of fear in
people to step out so they chose to remain and function
indoors. Children resorted to a lot of videogames and
school learning through technology enabling them to do
this on laptops, phones etc. Adults were in a work from
home mode. Hence stepping out barely made people
comfortable whilst being indoors. They got used to it and
were no longer claustrophobic (if they were earlier). But
instead, they became agoraphobic (fear of open spaces)
in some cases. Social anxiety and nervousness became a
part of their psyche. Of course it will get better with time
but the current situation has made a small part of the
population nervous to interact with people and work in
offices or even meet someone for a coffee.

BW WELLBEINGWORLD | MARCH 2022

12 COLUMN By Suzy Singh

you domesticate the demon and savour it without letting
it destroy your mental wellbeing.

Thou shall not spiral into depression by other peo-

ple’s Public Display of Abundance (PDA)
People who have a compelling need to display their
abundance, usually have a deep sense of dissatisfaction
about their lives that they try to mask with, ‘see what a
wonderful life I have’ type of posts. A monk doesn’t feel
the need to declare his peace. Nor does a king feel com-
pelled to announce his wealth. But if we lack something,
or feel the need to camouflage the truth, we look for
fantasies that can make us feel better about ourselves.
Don’t believe everything the abundance broadcasters
show off. They’re probably just as miserable as you are.

SSTHAEEVCERNED Thou shall not be fooled by the relational ‘happi-

W e live in a world where misinter- ness optics’ on social media
pretations, misunderstandings and Images of smiling faces and romantic rendezvous please
misuse have eroded the essence the camera lens more than they please real hearts. If
of what ‘being social’ truly means. you make the error of comparing your relationships
Today, social media causes more breakups, loneliness with what people on social media are whipping out, you
and depression than it serves friendships. Uncen- are surely going to be disappointed. With the picture
sored self-gratification content on social media has and video publishing options available on smartphones
ruthlessly expanded feelings of unworthiness in all, today, everyone is busy producing their own fairytale
compelling those who understand this, to periodically movie. Learn to separate fact from fiction. Enduring
detox and disappear from their social media plat- relationships are built through acts of service, not by
forms, indicating just how toxic and addictive these declaring your love on social media.
platforms can be.
Thou shall not measure your worthiness by the
Let me not mince my words here, social media is a drug
and it must be used with caution and care. The seven number of likes you get
social media commandments I’m sharing below can help Every ‘like’ your post receives produces a dopamine
spurt in your physiology making you feel good and want-
ing more of it. Social media giants understand this brain
science extremely well and leverage it to steal your time
and attention and to manipulate your mental wellbeing.
Don’t get sucked into the likes monopoly, it’s an endless
pit that only increases your feelings of unworthiness.
Like money, the hunger for more is never satiated. Slay
the demon by adopting a different meter to measure
your sense of worth.

Thou shall not stalk your exes
The curiosity to know how your ex is faring after ditching
you is a sure shot passage to hell. The ex might inten-
tionally flaunt their ‘now I’m free to live life on my own
terms’ bit to deal with his or her woes, but your mind
will dissect and distort everything through the rejection
filter, producing only one type of destructive feeling,
that the ex no longer cares for me, I’m not good enough,
I’m all alone, I hate my life. If you’ve just broken off, do

BW WELLBEINGWORLD | MARCH 2022

MENTAL HEALTH & SOCIAL MEDIA 13

Photographs by Indiapicturebudget

yourself a favour and block your ex from all platforms or The social someone writes a rude remark on your post, courteously
better still, take a social media break. media com- respond in the most well-meaning way and if required,
mandments delete their comments and block them. Boundaries on
Thou shall not be demotivated, by the success of that must be social media are as important as elsewhere in life. Pro-
others followed for tect your personal boundaries.
When friends, family, contemporaries and acquaintances maintaining
share information about their accomplishments and new mental wellbe- Thou shall not wash your dirty laundry on social
initiatives, do you find yourself quietly shrinking inside ing in a digi-
and wondering, what the hell am I doing with my life? If tal-first and media
the feeling of being overtaken by the success of others high screen When things get ugly in relationships, you may want
arises in your heart, stop and remind yourself, everyone time age to act on your vengeful feelings by hurting the other’s
has a different purpose, a unique life path. Use that social image and dragging the battle into the public
feeling to introspect upon, what is it that I really wish to domain. By doing this you are feeding the fire that will
do but haven’t invested myself in? burn down not just your home, but the entire village.
This is the perfect time to retreat from social media
Thou shall not spit venom but engage meaningfully and reclaim your inner balance. Attend to your wounds.
and responsibly Do not seek escape in mindless browsing. Social media
If you are provoked by what someone else has shared can feel like a comforting blanket when you are hurting,
on their handle, resist the temptation to engage in but it rarely protects you from the biting cold of an
comment battles. Their wall is their space and they are emotional winter.
perfectly entitled to their opinions, as long as these are
not personal or derogatory towards any individual. If The author is an emotional wellbeing and mental health coach,
advisor to NGO WE Listen Foundation and a book author

BW WELLBEINGWORLD | MARCH 2022

14 COLUMN By Mamta Shah

MDHTOIEEGDANIALTTTAYAH’LSLIWNORLD

W e live in a world currently dominated by immense. It has impacted the mental health of the whole
technology and it is evolving every sin- age range of people comprising of adults, adolescents
gle day. Although each of the develop- and children. It is important to recognise and understand
ments and advancements is explicitly what the impacts on mental health are, why they have
beneficial to us, there are implicit and hidden risks and developed and what can be done to help and protect
dangers too. With the boom of the internet and other the people and loved ones around us. The connection
related technologies, many aspects of our life, including between digital devices and mental wellbeing have both
our mental health is in constant reconfiguration. There positive and negative outcomes. With moderation and
probably are a plethora of debates with much gumption proper use of screen time, it can improve the quality
and passion regarding the positive and negative effects of life as well as the mental health of yourself and the
of digital technology on mental health. In all of this one people in your environment.
thing is becoming clearer, that there are threats and
problematic behaviours resulting from the ever-growing Understanding Mental Wellbeing
reliance and misuse of digital technology. The internet and digital technology have boosted people
in their efforts in dealing with mental health difficulties.
The Concern with the Convenience With its use, people have been able to educate them-
With the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic and especially selves with the information provided that is necessary
during the lockdown periods, people around the world for the understanding and treatment of mental health
have become more and more attached to their digital issues. Despite this, one has to be cautious of becoming
devices than they have ever been. Rightly so, one had over-reliant on its information without confirming it with
to rely on it to communicate to people, socialise, attend the appropriate professional. Tele-therapy via various
school and work, or continue their other activities like digital platforms has increased manifold. Accessibility
hobbies, exercise and more. The internet gave people a to various treatment programmes for psychological and
way of functioning despite the restrictions of movements psychiatric interventions have become more approach-
and lockdowns. It had also become a security blanket able and discreet.
for some. Without it, levels of anxiety were on the rise.
There developed an unnatural and a desperate attach-
ment to it in a few people, where their sanity hung on the
pretext that without the internet and their devices, they
could not be able to cope with their day to day living.
They felt alienated and helpless without it.

The amount of screen time spent over this one year
and eight months of the Covid-19 pandemic have been

BW WELLBEINGWORLD | MARCH 2022

MENTAL WELLBEING 15

People have also been able to expand their community
via communal video games or multiplayer games that
go beyond the current geography of the person. It has
also been observed that having a stipulated screen
time watching materials that engage like TV shows and
movies can distract one from their negative thinking
patterns and escape stressful feelings. However, the
time spent should be limited and during hours that do
not interfere with the activities and the routine of the
day. The use of the internet and devices has also made
people’s life easier with online shopping for groceries
and house supplies that save time and energy, setting up
a calendar for reminders, etc.

Hiding Behind the Screen Photographs by Indiapicturebudget
The benefits of digital technology and the time spent
on it is clear. However, too much screen time spent The internet Striking a Balance
can lead to a host of negative effects on mental and digital We can minimise the negative effects of our time spent
health. Studies have shown an increase in depres- technology digitally to enhance our mental health and quality of life
sion with people overusing or overspending time on as a whole. One way is to detox digitally, which is to re-
it. It leads to social isolation, disconnectedness and have boost- frain from using any kind of screen for an allotted period
an interruption to genuine connections in the real ed people in of time for the day. Balance screen time with other kinds
world. There is a ‘hiding behind the screen’ leading to their efforts in of extracurricular activities. Learn something new that
a distressing effect in meeting with people in the real dealing with does not require a screen. Exercise, practise mindful-
world. They aren’t able to make eye contact and have mental health ness, have family or friends time that does not involve
extreme hesitancy in making any kind of conversation. the digital platform. Be responsible with the freedom of
This lack of human connection furthers the depression difficulties. spending time digitally.
eventually. With its use,
people have The internet and its related technologies are evolving
People spending too much time accessing social been able to and in the future, humankind is going to be more and
media are prone to feelings of inferiority and low educate them- more immersed and will have to adapt and embrace the
self-esteem due to constant comparisons to peers selves with the future of technology called metaverse. This is a com-
on the various platforms. This can lead to negative information bination of multiple elements of technology, including
self-talk and negative viewing of the self-body image. provided that virtual reality, augmented reality and videos. The danger
Cyberbullying has become rampant nowadays. The is necessary here is that one can immerse themselves in this and lose
more one, especially young people, spends time online for the under- their sense of reality. The bottom line is that we are living
with strangers and peers the more prone they are to standing and in a digital world and how we manoeuvre our way around
cyberbullying. This can lead to severe anxiety, depres- treatment of it will either help us or further lead us down the rabbit
sion and even the risk of suicide. mental health hole. 

Spending excessive time on the screens lead to limited issues. The author is a consultant clinical psychologist and
opportunities for body movement and exercise and we psychoanalytic psychotherapist
all know the positive effects physical exercise has on
our mental health. It makes us feel good, refreshed, less
anxious and less depressed. Too much screen time is
also associated with interrupted sleep and insomnia.
Not enough sleep can severely impact mental health
leading to disorientation, anxiety, depression and other
psychological disorders.

BW WELLBEINGWORLD | MARCH 2022

16 COLUMN By Nidhi Ajay Yadav

OWNORNOOTLRIHISNRITNEYHGYAEOBTRGOOEAU?:T,

M onday morning, the clock hit 5:50 AM and of giving clear instructions. Clearly explained variations,
I looked at the last minute preparation various steps of the asana and most importantly the
for my first yoga class of the day. Yoga repeated mentioning of ‘listen to your body’, ‘Don’t over
mat: checked, tripod: checked, bluetooth: push’, ‘only attempt if you are ready’ etc.
checked and now I just have to log in on my online plat-
form and wait for my practitioner to join. Always Do Sukshma Vyayama
The only way you can get an injury is that you didn’t
As of 2019, this scenario for a yoga class was very warm up (sukshma vyayama) or you got over-enthusias-
unusual. I mean online yoga class, like seriously! But tic while doing any asana and ignored the instructions of
then the pandemic happened and being digital was the the teacher. As long as you avoid that, you are good.
only safe option. Initially online yoga classes were taken
by people who were really excited about their progress Choose the Right Format
and didn’t want to lose the momentum. But it was just a This would be a really important decision. The deciding
matter of time before online yoga classes really caught factor would be the level as well as the objective of your
everyone’s attention. Access to hundreds of videos, practice. I have mentioned the pros and cons of some
the flexibility of choosing our own time and light on the of the popular formats, so you can make an informed
pocket too. The concept really is exciting. decision. In my opinion, beginners are always advised
to practise under close supervision until they become
But wait, there are some legitimate questions here as self-reliant. Intermediate and advanced practitioners
well. What about the correction of the postures, what if can choose, depending upon their learning objectives.
I ended up hurting myself, what if I couldn’t keep up with
the breathing pace? Let’s look at all the different options for taking a
virtual yoga class.
These are the questions that I get asked a lot. And my Online Group class: Availability, Live. Almost all the
answer is nothing but the truth. I honestly feel that the fitness and yoga studios are offering such classes.
choice is not between safe and unsafe practices. The
choice is whether or not to step out of a comfort zone. Pros: There would be many people with you so you will
It’s really about trusting yourself, being self-disciplined be motivated, you will be bound to a fixed time, so it will
and having a keenness to learn. be a disciplined practice. Group classes are cost-effec-
tive too. Many studios offer some free classes as well for
Following Instructions is Key you to get comfortable with the learning medium.
As far as injuries are concerned, remember there is no
way and I mean absolutely no way, you would get an
injury if you keep listening to your body and follow the
instructions to the word. Pick classes of any qualified
yoga teacher and you will notice the uniform approach

BW WELLBEINGWORLD | MARCH 2022

ONLINE YOGA 17

Photographs by Indiapicturebudget

Cons: Larger groups risk the lack of attention from the In online yoga, Personal class: Availability, Live. These classes are
teacher. Bare minimum interaction with the teacher. the choice is offered by most of the personal yoga teachers. Maybe
Even the best of teachers experience this as a concern not between yours is offering them as well.
in larger groups. Group classes don’t have the flexibility safe and un- Pros: It’s just like taking an in-person class. With a lot
of changing the time even in case of emergency. You are
bound to the assigned time. Missing the classes would safe practices. of interaction with the teacher, you will get the freedom
result in financial loss too. The choice is of discussing the postures, customising the sequence as

Offline classes: Availability, Recorded. Many popular whether or not per your body needs. Many teachers allow adjustment of
yoga websites tied up with yoga teachers and launched to step out of a time if pre-informed. Suitable for all age groups.
their recorded yoga classes. These classes sometimes
include daily or weekly challenges too which can be comfort zone. Cons: Although cheaper than taking an in-person class,
really fun to the enthusiasts.
this is more expensive than the other two formats.
Pros: A wonderful opportunity to practice the se-
quence arranged by popular teachers. Many you would Have Faith in Yourself
recognise from Instagram or YouTube. Time flexibility, as Let us not forget that one of the prime objectives of
these follow the ‘do it as per your convenience’ format. a yoga practice is to develop trust within ourselves.
One-time investment only. Through yoga, we learn to generate ultimate body
and mind coordination. We learn to develop harmony
Cons: The sequences are not customised as per indi- amongst all the systems of the body. As long as you
vidual’s needs. You are completely on your own. There keep this in mind you would continue having a successful
is no supervision. Self-discipline is the only way you can practice, irrespective of the format you choose. 
achieve success with this format.
The author is a yoga guru at LeoFlexPro

BW WELLBEINGWORLD | MARCH 2022

18 COLUMN By Palak Mehta

A New Streak
Akil Taher, the author of Open Heart, rediscovered his
life at the age of 61. Akil discovered that by eating a
whole food plant-based diet, he could not only avoid but
even reverse his heart disease.

Another encouraging story is that of Shruti, who did not
realise she was lactose intolerant but continued to con-
sume dairy products regularly. Even though dairy caused
her inflammation, she had been told from childhood that
it was necessary for protein and calcium consumption.
She discovered that vegetables and nuts can be good
sources of necessary nutrients that she turned fully
plant-based. She then took matters into her own hands
after being diagnosed with cancer at the age of 34,
quitting dairy, adopting a healthier diet and eventually
curing cancer.

BBWENAOITESOHRESDGTPIYLNDALGIENETVT-ELS The real-life accounts do not end there. Aarathi is India’s
first vegan woman Ironman, capable of competing at any
level of endurance sports. She has demonstrated that a
plant-based diet may benefit athletes and sportspeople
as a regular diet and as a training regimen. The adverse
effects of traditional dairy on human health were not
recognised until many people began eating a more
active plant-based and vegan diet. Lactose intolerance
affects over 68 per cent of the world’s population; they
would not drink milk if it weren’t for societal conditioning.

Increasing Awareness
According to statistics, milk and other dairy products are
the leading sources of saturated fats linked to type2 di-
abetes, heart disease and Alzheimer’s disease. Dairy has
also been related to various conditions, including breast
and ovarian cancer, according to numerous research.

W hy is a country like India that thrives on On the one hand, people’s incomes and their education
milk and milk products embracing veg- or awareness, on the other, impact what they eat and
anism? For quite some time, veganism how they live. While many individuals are exploring meat
was seen as an ethical movement for a and dairy alternatives, they are also learning about
selected few. However, the recent rise in flexitarians and the fallacies and exploitation in the dairy industry, as
awareness of lactose intolerance has spiked the interest highlighted by active vegans and others on social media.
in plant-based alternatives. Activists, bloggers and content providers are all using
social media to raise awareness.

The Covid outbreak has furthered the development Many people have the notion that a vegan diet consists
of preventive healthcare in the country. A whole food solely of raw vegetables and fruits. But there’s a lot more
plant-based diet has not only been demonstrated to to it. Vegan food options are improving as more mindful
have increased one’s energy levels but also reverse life- businesses offer plant-based alternatives such as plant
style disorders such as type2 diabetes, blood pressure milk, vegan meat and vegan desserts. Vegan
and hypertension. alternatives are becoming more common in fast-food

BW WELLBEINGWORLD | MARCH 2022

CHANGING FOOD HABITS 19

Photographs by Indiapicturebudget

restaurants and the number of vegan food bloggers on Veganism, as Veganuary, for instance, saw more than 5.8 million indi-
social media is growing. People are coming up with new a movement, viduals sign up in 2021 to go vegan for various reasons.
ways to raise awareness and help people in transition; has risen in At Vegan First, a global platform for everything vegan,
from easy-to-make vegan dishes to ‘veganising’ recipes, popularity we provide useful resources, handy guides, nutritional
veganism is gaining popularity among millennials, and hashtags expertise for anyone who wants to embrace a different
spreading the word on their various social media chan- referring to lifestyle. Our flagship event in India, The Vegan India
nels. veganism Conference, is held annually and has seen the participa-
have grown tion of industry experts from over 22 countries. This just
Spreading the Word on Instagram goes to show how this global movement is now becoming
Veganism, as a movement, has risen in popularity and and other a lifestyle choice for many.
hashtags referring to veganism have grown on Insta- social media
gram and other social media platforms. For example, the platforms. Regular sharing of experiences through our digital plat-
hashtag #veganfood has around 26.7 million entries, form has helped many others in the transition towards a
while #veganrecipes has 7.8 million posts. This is only kind compassionate lifestyle, for the planet, the animals
one illustration of how broadly veganism is now em- and our own
braced. Many platforms have also launched campaigns bodies. 
to urge consumers to make healthier lifestyle decisions.

These platforms also assist those in the process of The author is the founder and CEO at Vegan First.
transitioning, allowing them to take it one step at a time.

BW WELLBEINGWORLD | MARCH 2022

20 WELLNESS RESORTS By Supriya Thanawala

THE JOURNEY WITHIN

As more and T ravel is no longer only about “pleasure”. Hospitality entrepreneur Dr. Gaurav Grover, who
more people is also the President of the New Delhi Social Workers Association and the Founder of the
are bringing India Luxury Foundation, says travel is now also about “bleasure”, a portmanteau between
together business and leisure.
multi-
purpose There is truth in that. Most corporate executives today take the opportunity to vacation in new places
travel during their work trips and many location-agnostic independent professionals today also work out of
into their exotic locales. But there is now also another aspect to this kind of multi-purpose travel, one which is
schedules, catching up among the urban middle class across age groups — and that is a kind of travel in the search
resorts and of the wealth that is good health.
hotels in the
hospitality According to many Indian wellness resort managers, there has been a substantial growth in terms of their
sector are domestic as well as international clientele, both of which have shot up considerably over the last decade.
turning These resorts, which provide Ayurvedic as well as other treatments — from naturopathy to herbal detox,
towards have seen a surge in the number of people visiting their centres in India over the last few months.
sustainable
and eco- Asmita Prasad, Digital Marketing Specialist at Ayushakti Ayurved Private Ltd in Mumbai, says that their
friendly health centre branches around Mumbai saw a heightened growth after 2014 and until 2019. “Before 2014,
practices we were growing by around 15–20 percent a year, but after 2014, our overseas clientele growth shot up to
that provide 25 percent a year. Even during the pandemic, our clientele has remained stable, with a lot of people also
mental and opting for our detox-from-home packages,” she says.
physical
rejuvenation. On the other hand, the Kaivalyadhama Yoga Institute in Lonavala (Maharashtra), for instance, is a stone’s
throw away from the main city as well as from the bustling hub of Pune, offering a tranquil environment
with packages ranging from a series of relaxed meditation workshops during minimum week-long residen-

BW WELLBEINGWORLD | MARCH 2022

WELLBEING NEWS 21

tial stays to more intensive detox and diet therapies. Top 5 Popular Wellness Travel
Serving light and appetising weight-loss meals, Destinations in India
Kaivalyadhama continues to remain a popular hub for
Indians as well as other Asian communities to travel
to. Initially converted out of a bungalow, the institu-
tion now also offers degrees in yoga education and its
campus provides a community space for people in the
holistic wellness industry.

Centres like Kaivalyadhama provide a relaxed atmo- KAIVALYADHAMA, LONAVALA
sphere that has ample place to socialise, meet new kdham.com
people and spend time with nature. “We are almost
always full,” says Jagdish Bhutada, an Ayurveda con- CORAL NATUROPATHY, DEOLALI, NASIK
sultant at the Kaivalyadhama. Bhutada too observed coralnaturopathy.com
a steady increase in their clientele during the one or
two years before the pandemic and said that they had VIPASSANA MEDITATION CENTERS IN INDIA
grown by 100 percent in 2020 and by 60–80 percent dhamma.org
at other times. “Even now, we get at least 50–60 new
people joining per week for each of the treatment
packages we offer,” he says, adding that the only times
that they are empty is during the rainy season.

If cocoons like Kaivalyadhama and treatment hubs
like the Ayushakti treatment centre in Mumbai are a
reason for people to set out of home, then many oth-
ers travel to mainstream locations with wellness and
health in mind. “I always seek out hotels that follow
sustainable practices,” says Dr. Grover, who is working
on coming out with his first book on sustainability and
eco-friendly consciousness from within the fashion,
lifestyle, as well as hospitality industry.

Dr. Grover further points out how several properties JINDAL’S NATURE CURE, BANGALORE
are re-enforcing the “farm-to-plate” concept, where jindalnaturecure.in
food is directly sourced from farmers without there
being any intermediaries in between. “That reduces RATANVEER TRUST, BIDADA, GUJARAT
the carbon footprint and the food material remains bidada.org
that much more original and in its purest form.”

The wellness resort business has shot up over the
last decade. Komal Seth, founder and director of a
Delhi-based B2B travel company called Linkin Reps
Pvt. Ltd, says, “Within India, it is Kerala that provides
the chart for inventing and promoting wellness and
eco-friendly properties. This is because of the use of
bamboo as well as mud and coconut shelves in most
properties around Kerala,” she states.

With Indians seeking to explore nature within the
country itself, restaurants and hotels are seeking out
nature-friendly practices. 

BW WELLBEINGWORLD | MARCH 2022

22 IN-DEPTH By Kavi Bhandari

GOTHFREOCUHNADNSGWE ELL

A paradigm W ellbeing as a term has changed its influence in our lives and much credit can be
shift marks given to the pandemic. Today, different people define “wellbeing” differently but
the health and in the wake of the crisis, it has become clearer that wellbeing is a holistic term
wellness sector that includes mental health, physical health, emotional health and even spiritual
in India, which awareness.
is poised for
growth due McKinsey, in a survey done in April 2021, estimated the global wellness market at more than $1.5
to the change trillion, with annual growth of 5-10 per cent. The survey, while did not include India, observed that
in consumer consumers care deeply about wellness—and that their interest is growing.
behaviour, with
data and digital This broad stroke of this trend is not very different for India as well. The wellness market in India has
playing the been on a quiet yet steady rise over the past few years and if FICCI’s latest estimates are to go by, the
central role industry is valued at Rs 490 billion. The Indian wellness industry flourished by increased demand for
alternative healing practices like Ayurveda, yoga and naturopathy among others have expanded to
include nutrition, fitness, preventive healthcare and health tourism.

As of 2021, the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) index score for good health and wellbeing (SDG
3) ranges between 90 and 59 for Indian states and union territories. Delhi had the highest score of 97
and among the states, Gujarat was the front runner with a score of 86.

Data Dominates
There is a very significant role that the presence of data and informed decisions are playing in the
growth of the wellbeing sector. As per the Wellbeing Diagnostic India Survey, that was run between
October and November 2020, wellbeing has become a top priority of the healthcare strategy in many
organisations as a result of the pandemic and companies look to make wellbeing a key differentiator of
their value proposition.

The survey also noted that the use of data and analytics continue to expand with a priority towards
a variety of financial and non-financial measures including employee listening strategies to better
understand employee needs. But use remains low with opportunities to expand.
While users and providers form the core actors in the wellness space, industries like media, education
and the government contribute to sustain this sector. Also, mental health issues, stress and anxiety
have become a growing problem due to the pandemic and economic recession. Rising costs and the

BW WELLBEINGWORLD | MARCH 2022

23WELLBEING IN DIGITAL WORLD

McKinsey, in a survey done in April
2021, estimated the global wellness
market at more than $1.5 trillion, with
annual growth of 5-10 per cent. The
survey observed that consumers care
deeply about wellness—and that their
interest is growing.

were able to connect with their personal and profession-
al lives during the lockdown.

Focus on Individual Wellbeing
There are many factors that lead to individual wellbeing
of everyone. People are unique in their own way with
our own metabolic rates and own mindsets. A person
can be prone to various ailments and illnesses in today’s
day and age. Physically and mentally, people need to
be cautious of how they live their lives. Mental health in
the digital age is very important. Everything, or almost
everything is psychosomatic. If our mental state is fine,
so is our physical condition.

Digitally or virtually, people have been consulting psy-
chiatrists and psychotherapists, which is a great leap in
the stigma connected to mental health. Everything con-
nected to virtual guidance and sessions has proven to
be very beneficial but human beings are social animals.
People became more driven to explore their inner selves
in this critical time. Though through these challenging
times we have all suffered to these factors to some
extent – finances, mental and physical health, grief and
trauma as many have lost their loved ones during the

disjointed delivery of wellbeing programmes remain a Photographs by Indiapicturebudget
challenge for companies to overcome.

Wellbeing has become very prominent digitally due to
the pandemic. Teleconsultations, webinars on build-
ing our immunity, a plethora of information related to
vaccines and even much more virtual summits or con-
ferences has become very common. People in today’s
scientifically advanced and technology driven world,

BW WELLBEINGWORLD | MARCH 2022

24 IN-DEPTH

pandemic and a lot of anxiety, uncertainty and confusion The wellness market in India has been on a quiet yet
has been present during these times. steady rise over the past few years and if FICCI’s latest

Sleep as a healer is of immense importance. It is nec- estimates are to go by, the industry is valued at Rs
essary for us to sleep well in order to function proper- 490 billion. The Indian wellness industry flourished by
ly – mentally and physically. Mental fatigue is of the
worst kind and that is what sleep eradicates well. Of increased demand for alternative healing practices
course, exercise plays a key role in filling the brain with like Ayurveda, yoga and naturopathy among others
natural feel good chemicals such as endorphins, SSRIs have expanded to include nutrition, fitness, preventive
(Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors), dopamine and
even oxytocin. Exercise as an activity is an integral part healthcare and health tourism.
of contributing to good health, both mentally and phys-
ically. During the lockdown many people started online cancer), together are very effective. People have started
exercise and yoga sessions with practitioners. Many believing in a simple lifestyle and living with an attitude
indulged in another form of peaceful and healthy living – of gratitude. The pandemic has taught, tested and even
by practicing meditation and even took to praying. harmed us and our loved ones, a lot.

Digital age hence has both its pros and cons, with the Wellbeing in the Next Normal
positive highlight being people’s ability to reach out for Work from home has become the new concept of moving
help in times of distress. Another form of healing is Reiki. ahead even with a huge blow given by the economy due
Reiki and pranic healing (which presents a very unique to Covid-19. People have managed to work through on-
holistic multi-disciplinary approach, used to treat a va- line communication portals and also children have been
riety of ailments, from fever to heart conditions to even studying online. Online classes have become the new
e-learning formula. So, digital wellbeing has played a
Photographs by Indiapicturebudget positive role in people’s lives, helping them to adapt and

BW WELLBEINGWORLD | MARCH 2022

25WELLBEING IN DIGITAL WORLD

Data and analytics continue to
expand with a priority towards a
variety of financial and non-financial
measures including employee
listening strategies to better
understand employee needs. But use
remains low with opportunities to
expand.

Photographs by Indiapicturebudget As of 2021, the connecting on social, caregiving spiritual platforms
Sustainable online. Education is currently completely online, almost a
survive. Wellbeing in the digital age in children though, Development complete digital shift. More material on wellbeing began
hasn’t been very successful. Children couldn’t go out and Goal (SDG) to become available online. It showed people the right
play with their friends of around the same age group. index score for direction on how to remain safe during the widespread
They instead took their attention towards social media good health and rapid rising pace of Covid-19 cases and also, it was
and video games. and wellbeing mainly around having a strong immune system.
(SDG 3) ranges
The wellbeing of a child in his or her formative years is between 90 and Internet services have seen a rise in usage from 40
very important and of course throughout life wellbeing 59 for Indian per cent to 100 per cent compared to pre-lockdown
is the key to every generation living longer in a healthy states and union levels. Video conferencing services have seen a 10-fold
manner. Holistically, people have become very sensitive territories. Delhi increase in usage and content delivery services have
towards others due to the challenges faced in the digital had the highest seen a 30 per cent increase in content usage. Cities like
era. Empathy, sympathy and gratitude have been prac- score of 97 Bangalore have seen a 100 per cent increase in Internet
ticed like never before. For those who lost their loved and among the traffic according to a report dated end of last year, as
ones, these three key traits from others were, is and will states, Gujarat per reports. In India alone, 25-30 per cent of senior cit-
be very significant to their mental wellbeing. was the front izens are now active on the internet as compared to the
runner with a 6-8 per cent active users before. This clearly shows that
Collective Wellbeing score of 86. the digital age has impacted lives across the nation and
During such a time, consumers are seen to come togeth- the globe in terms of remaining sane and able to handle
er for collective wellbeing. The consciousness (knowl- the pandemic with better mental methodology.
edge and energy) to help each other through this storm
should be expressed by all of us. Whenever the term A New Wellbeing Order
wellbeing arises in a conversation, the first tendency of A changed mindset can create a beneficial environment
many people is to think of a certain part of it and not the for all, using resources – mainly digital, during the pan-
holistic picture which is there and is actually very simple demic. The new normal is one with rapid increase in the
to comprehend. People need to be more aware and in speed of technological advancement and knowhow.
a 360-degree form of consciousness. That will ensure
wellbeing even whilst the pandemic has made the way Time had been saved due to the work from home proto-
of life, very digital. Chat groups, online get togethers, col. People began delivering even better output whilst
sharing and exchanging information for staying socially working from the comfort of their homes. More results in
and emotionally connected, provided some relief to terms of work-related matters have become beneficial
mental health issues. to everyone. It is evident there has been a shift in indi-
vidual and collective consciousness for the larger good,
Wellbeing of the elderly during Covid-19 saw connection, which can only be seen in the larger picture.
empowerment, information, support provided by the
virtual world especially to those who were alone. The digital age can be seen as a saviour for the wellbeing
sector per se. Across age groups, technology has proved
There has been an insurgence in the percentage of to be helpful during the pandemic. Whether seen at an
elderly using online platforms and the effects of social individual level, or within a community, technology is a
isolation and quarantine with depression, anxiety, fear, connector and enabler and from a sectoral perspective,
loneliness, sleep disturbances, increased the need for it has opened up newer opportunities that continue to
impact the sector. 

BW WELLBEINGWORLD | MARCH 2022

26 IN-DEPTH By Supriya Thanawala

TLHUELLRHYTHMIC

Because of F or some people, sleep is the most beautiful thing, while for others, it is a nightmare. And
a range of that is the reason why Mahatma Gandhi had said that “Each night, when I go to sleep, I
sociological die… and the next morning, when I wake up, I am reborn” — while the comic British writer
changes in Anthony Burgess, on the other hand, observed: “Laugh and the world laughs with you,
our physical snore and you sleep alone.”
environments,
urban lifestyles It is thus not for no reason that medical practitioners have become more and more concerned about a
have changed. range of sleep problems emerging among people in India, particularly with what is known as obstruc-
It has led to tive sleep apnoea being on the rise — a condition where one undergoes a range of symptoms, such as
sleep disorders that from experiencing headaches to sleepiness during the day, as well as snoring and most worryingly,
and related the stop of breath during one’s sleep as well as abrupt awakenings in the middle of the night with the
ailments in gasping and choking for the want of oxygen and air.
people that
doctors are BW WELLBEINGWORLD | MARCH 2022
trying to help
their clients
tackle on an
urgent basis.

27WELLBEING IN DIGITAL WORLD

These conditions surrounding sleep disorders and distur- Dr. Krishna Vora, Ear-Nose-Throat (ENT) Surgeon who
bances occur due to several psychosomatic factors and practices at her private clinic in Mumbai, explains that
reasons. Some of these include anxiety, high-stress obstructive sleep apnoea — called OSA in short — is
levels, sedentary lifestyles, as well as a lack of physical an obstruction in the upper airway from the level of
activity during the day. There are other external environ- the nose up to the voice box and can cause a range of
mental and ecological factors that affect sleep too, such worrying mental as well as physical ailments.
as noise pollution as well as faulty mattresses.
Nipping it in the bud
But Dr. Vivek Shama, who is a Consultant Clinical “In order to diagnose sleep apnoea, one must consult
Cardiology specialist at BLK-Max Super Speciality an ENT Specialist, undergo a thorough ENT examination
Hospital in Delhi, regularly has patients visiting him with and tests and, depending on the results of these tests
insomnia and sleep disturbance symptoms that stem and examinations, discuss different treatment modalities
from multiple ailments such as heart diseases, diabetes, with a doctor,” she says further. Dr. Vora adds how, “in
gastric problems, as well as obesity. He says that these case the patient already has high BP or diabetes, there
symptoms are all linked to each other. “Sleep plays a can be a worsening of these conditions.” What’s more is
great role in human wellbeing. If you have good sleep, that if this condition is not treated, “patients can devel-
the chances of you having coronary artery diseases op high blood pressure, diabetes, heart problems and
are much lower. On the other hand, if you have sleep multiple mental health issues,” Dr. Vora warns further.
apnoea, which is related to many coronary artery
[and heart] diseases, then one has to use therapeutic There are multiple causes for sleep apnoea, explains
machines to help increase the air pressure in the body,” Dr. Shama further. “It happens in people due to either
says Dr. Shama, noting how sleep and heart diseases, in a short neck, soft muscles, or a double chin,” he says,
particular, are directly interrelated. adding how obesity is a further cause of sleep apnoea.
“To diagnose OSA, there is a test called the sleep study,”
Firstly, it is crucial to understand what sleep apnoea is. adds Dr. Shama.

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28 IN-DEPTH

“The test is conducted overnight and there are several cured through therapeutic machines like the CPAP
parameters through which apnoea can be diagnosed, (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure), there are
such as the checking of one’s heartbeat, their oxygen other day-to-day changes that one can make in
levels and looking at one’s EEG (electroencephalogram) their lifestyle to achieve a better sleep cycle as well.
and ECG (electrocardiography) reports through that “The CPAP, which is a machine that helps a person
test. These tests look at how much your oxygen levels breathe more easily during their sleep by increasing
have fallen and how big your apnoea pause is,” details the air pressure in the throat and avoiding the
Dr. Shama. collapse of the airway when they breathe in,
can create considerable [momentary] relief for
Bringing in harmony someone who has obstructive sleep apnoea,”
Medical practitioners like Dr. Shama also say that explains Dr. Shama.
meditation is very important in order to attain mental
peace and relieve one’s active thoughts that don’t allow However, alternative as well as traditional
them to sleep. Meditation as well as psychotherapeutic practitioners would all unanimously agree that
techniques enable the mind to achieve the right normal people can achieve a healthy sleep cycle by
equilibrium. bringing in a mind-body balance between psycho-
therapeutic techniques such as RTT as well as
While pathological disorders that emerge from following the right food, routine, exercise, physical
conditions such as sleep apnoea can be addressed and alignment and daily schedule. 

HOW TO SLEEP WELL

Combat Noises political rhetoric as well as emotional dramas on TV soaps late
If you live in a noisy locality or on the ground floor near the in the night can lead to an unwanted stimulation of your mind.
main road, chances are that there are a lot of noises around Avoid toxic debates and arguments and try to relax your mind
you that may not allow you to have a good sleep quality. Get with light, situational humour and other pleasant things at night.
quality soundproofing done to your walls and windows or buy
sound-deadening machines with proper insulation that muffle Follow a Balanced Routine or Schedule
noise and stop vibrations. Your day should be well-planned. According to Dr. Shama,
you must have enough exposure to daylight and you must not
Follow the Right Diet follow a sedentary lifestyle. You must achieve the right balance
Overeating, as well as under-eating, can lead to sleep disorders. between physical and mental activity during the day.
Following an erratic schedule can lead to either hunger pangs
or indigestion at night, which can cause discomfort and stop the Give Your Back the Right Posture
body from resting. Gastric problems, which often lead to disor- Research has shown that no two people may find the same
ders such as GERD (Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease) can also mattress comfortable. “The selection of a mattress varies from
cause sleep disturbances and eating healthy and eating well on person to person,” says Dr. Shama. “But for people with back
schedule is therefore important on a regular basis to prevent problems or orthopedic problems, hard mattresses are advised
gastric problems. rather than those that are uneven,” he adds. Many luxury hotels
tend to stock spring mattresses or fluffy ones where the back
Avoid Mood Stimulants Before Sleep Hours sinks to the bottom, but these are not advisable if you have
Dr. Shama says that one needs to dim the lights and switch difficulty falling asleep. Hard mattresses that are made of cotton
off their phones at least a few hours prior to sleeping and that are found in select local markets where they are handmade, as
people with sleep disorders must completely avoid alcohol and well as in branded shops, where special orthopedic mattresses
coffee. Watching dramatic and sensational TV shows full of are made for people who need to sleep on an even surface.

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29WELLBEING IN DIGITAL WORLD

SIRONA: DISRUPTING THE
FEMALE HYGIENE INDUSTRY IN
INDIA, ONE PRODUCT AT A TIME!

S irona is a homegrown FemTech brand committed
towards creating innovative problem- solving products
and driving conversations around feminine hygiene
problems. It solves unaddressed feminine hygiene prob-
lems that women face from puberty to menopause. Women-related
needs have not been focused on extensively in the past. According
to GM insights, the Femtech Market size was valued at over USD 22.5
billion in 2020 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 16.2% from 2021
to 2027. The reason that is driving the immense growth in the industry
is the consumer-centric approach.

The Co-Founder of the brand, Deep Bajaj, was on a road trip in 2014 the category with its unwavering commitment to solving the hygiene
with his wife and friends. The female co-travelers not being able to and intimate issues for each and every woman.
find a clean toilet, led to the birth of PeeBuddy. Since then Sirona
is dedicated to achieving a specific purpose: developing innovative Commitment towards creating a sustainable future
products and promoting discussions around feminine hygiene issues. Since its inception, Sirona has been committed to creating a sus-
Simply put, its existence, innovations and solutions all start with hy- tainable future. Hence, it continues to take steps to ensure that
giene problems that women face and end with their overall health. the products and packaging they produce have a lower carbon
Extending its commitment towards solving hygiene problems for footprint. So far, it has saved 6 cr+ from landing in landfills by
women, Sirona has set up the Sirona Hygiene Foundation that aims to encouraging the use of menstrual cups.
spread awareness and educate women from all walks of life.
Here are a few factors that are helping Sirona lead the revolu- Creating impact from ground up
tion in the FemTech industry in India The Sirona Hygiene Foundation empowers women at
the ground level by providing them with prod-
Re-forming social norms ucts and education about menstrual health
Sirona has always encouraged women to rethink cultural and hygiene.
constructs surrounding feminine hygiene in order to make
informed decisions about their overall health. Few of These are a few steps that are
the innovative products include period pain relief helping Sirona grow and scale in
patches, rash cream, menstrual cup, rash- free the competitive D2C space. On
black pads and many more. the industry front, a plethora of
companies and non-profit groups
Consumer-first approach have also stepped forward to
Sirona’s consumer-first approach, keeping raise awareness about menstrual
innovation at the core of its business hygiene. 
and adapting as per the changing
needs makes it stand out amongst
others. Their journey always starts by
identifying the need-gap and then,
working on the solution to solve it.
Hence, Sirona has been the leader in

BW WELLBEINGWORLD | MARCH 2022

30 SPOTLIGHT By Kavi Bhandari

TOHFEWBEUASLITNHESS

The wellness T he overall wellness market in India is estimated at `490 billion and wellness services
market, which alone comprise of 40% of its market share. The global wellness industry on the other
is estimated at hand is now worth $4.5 trillion. Most wellness centers are focused upon purely monetary
$3.72 trillion, factors, and studies by the Medical Fitness Association suggest that the construction of
represents wellness centers offers a return on investment at anything between 6–10 percent, with contribution
more than 5% margins of around 30 percent. The global market for wellness tourism is projected to reach US$1.2
of the global trillion by 2027 according to Business Wire, growing at a CAGR of 6.6% over the period of 2020–2027.
economic The wellness tourism market in the US was estimated at US$212.7 billion during 2020.
output, and
despite being While individual service providers and end users are the core actors in the wellness space, talent pool
in an era of from industries such as the media, education, as well as the government sector continue to contribute
uncertainty, its towards the growth of the wellness sector. There would be no growth in the wellness industry if it
industry has wasn’t for social media, for instance. Yet, the real surge in the Indian wellness industry has taken place
only matured and flourished largely due to healthcare businesses focusing on alternative medical practices such as
over the last few Ayurveda, yoga, naturopathy, and so on. This sector has made a slow and steady expansion to include
years. nutrition, fitness, preventive healthcare, and health tourism, and it is in these sectors from where the
real entrepreneurial role models such as Luke Coutinho are emerging. 

BW WELLBEINGWORLD | MARCH 2022

WELLBEING IN DIGITAL WORLD 31

HOMFORTABLE LOSHGYANI
A magical wonderland in the middle of nowhere

Homfortable Loshgyani, an experiential stay, is a beautiful or a homestay. It is simply Homfortable”, as the founders quip. Their
creation. It integrates rustic mountain charm and a statement undoubtedly reflects in the character of this offbeat stay.
modern and luxurious vibe with much subtlety. The living Homfortable is positioned to sell experiences and aspires to create
spaces have been restored to their present charm with a network of professionally managed homely, comfortable, hygienic,
much thoughtfulness. The property is surrounded by a 360-degree sustainable and luxurious stays peppered with sumptuous “homely
view of dense Oak and Deodar forest, sparsely situated fields, fruit food-ghar jaisa khana”.
orchards and a 180-degree snow-capped Himalayan view on clear
sky days. This 2-acre estate is majestically positioned on a tabletop Speaking of Founders, Navneet is an IIM Ahemdabad, IIT Kanpur,
around 10 km away from Mukteshwar. It is a perfect destination for IE Business School, Spain graduate with experience of working at
slow and leisure travel. the Development Bank of Singapore (DBS), Aircraft Acquisition and
Financing at Indigo, Indian Oil. In addition, Swati has a work history at
IBM, Bain & Company, Accenture and Ernst & Young, with the last two
being senior global leadership roles. She is also associated with the
Lean In Foundation headed by Sheryl Sandberg, COO – Facebook,
which works towards “Building Women” and “Helping women achieve
their ambitions”. Furthermore, she holds a mentor position at Lean In,
India.

This boutique and intimate six-room property has a magical and mys- Creating social impact is at the forefront of Homfortable’s agenda with
tical vibe due to its location and view. The location makes the property a commitment to enable rural employment, drive gender pay parity
ideal not only for an offbeat getaway but also for meditation, yoga in a rural set-up and promotion of local food, culture and artisan skill.
and wellness retreats. The living spaces are a beautiful integration Sustainability is a conscious and continuous effort in the way Homfort-
of modern and traditional, providing sustainable living. The cottag- able operates. Homfortable Loshgyani is fully self-sustainable through
es have been thoughtfully built using sourced materials, like stones water harvesting and further development is achieved using natural
and mud, by local artisans primarily using the traditional art form and locally sourced materials. The other notable aspect includes
of mitti-chinai (mud joints). The main cottage at the property gives energy conservation by using traditional and age-old established
phenomenal views right from the room. Homfortable is a hospitality techniques to keep the living spaces warm during the winter season.
start-up founded by Swati & Navneet in late 2019 and Homfortable
Loshgyani at Mukteshwar is their first offering. “Not a hotel, resort,

Homfortable Loshgyani can be contacted at +91 8279357437. They
can also be found on Tripadvisor or Instagram @experiencehomfort-
able. 

BW WELLBEINGWORLD | MARCH 2022

32 COVER STORY

BNGRERWOEAUKNIDNG

What is it that drove lifestyle coach Luke Coutinho to
abandon a cushy corporate job in the tech sector to make an
unconventional career as a nutritionist?
Globally-renowned lifestyle coach Luke Coutinho works in the
field of integrative medicine and is an award-winning holistic
nutritionist. In this conversation he tells us what pushed him onto
this game-changing journey.

By Annurag Batra

BW WELLBEINGWORLD | MARCH 2022

33HOLISTIC WELLBEING

BW WELLBEINGWORLD | MARCH 2022

34 COVER STORY

“This ‘system’ strives on fixing and addressing the G oa tends to bring out the more relaxed side
root cause of the problem. It was then that I realised to a person. And even though I was there to
that this was the line I want to be in because enough attend consecutive business meetings, my
people were treating the symptoms, writing out diet late September trip there a few months ago
charts, training people how to exercise, but there left me rejuvenated as well as energised.
were not enough minds that were addressing the
real source of the problem. And that is how I got into On the agenda was a meeting with Luke Coutinho, a name
integrative lifestyle and medicine.” in the burgeoning health and wellness sector in India that
is associated with the reputation of having transformed
lives. Coutinho’s work spans across a host of books that
he has authored, each significantly different from each
other and a brilliant read, but he is also someone who has
lived through these books through first-hand experience.

And even though there was a lot to his books that
intrigued and inspired me to talk to him about, I decided
to first focus on satisfying my curiosity in knowing about
his journey and where it all began. After all, Coutinho, like
many of us in the Indian workforce, had started out in
the corporate sector, when he used to lead training and
development at IBM. But it was only later that he found his
true calling and moved to the field of hotel management
and subsequently was eventually guided towards the field
of nutrition. So, how did this transition actually happen in
his life and what did he really go through while taking a
plunge into the unknown?

A Leap of Faith
“There was no plan,” Coutinho tells me, as he takes a trip
down memory lane. “I had no clue what I wanted to be
when I was around 20–25 years old or even when I was
30–35, for that matter,” he admits. “At that time, I was
working at IBM, and I wanted to become a VP and then
a CEO — the usual journey in the corporate world. But
the subjects of nutrition, anatomy and physiology were
always close to my heart, and I continued to study these
after I completed [my degree in] hotel management,” he
says.

Coutinho recalls how he started his professional journey
from scratch at IBM and then went on to become a
team leader and a deputy manager, before he started
beginning to take note of people’s health. It was then that
he noticed the downward trend in the health metrics of
the corporate sector.

“I started noticing that as people would start earning
more and more money and achieving higher and higher
designations, their health would begin to deteriorate,”
states Coutinho. Coutinho found that whether he was
in Mumbai, New York, or Belgium, he always found

BW WELLBEINGWORLD | MARCH 2022

35HOLISTIC WELLBEING

nutritionists, doctors, gyms, as well as superfoods at every “This ‘system’ strives to fix and address the root cause
nook and corner, but that general health and well-being of each problem,” he explains. “This was what made me
were still missing. realise that this was the line I wanted to be in. While I
saw that there were enough people out there who were
“People had cholesterol problems, type 2 diabetes, treating the symptoms, writing out diet charts, training
cardiovascular problems, and so on,” he observes. “It did people how to exercise, there were not enough minds
not take much for me to figure out that the problem was addressing the real source of the problem. And that is how
with their lifestyle. You may have the best nutrition but if I got into integrative lifestyle and medicine.”
you are living a poor lifestyle, then what is the point?” he
says. Detailing his experience may sound simple but Coutinho
points out that it was anything but that. After completing
“You may have a great designation at work but if you are his stint at IBM, he had accumulated the needed patience
not sleeping well at night, then it is of no use. And because for pivoting his area of passion.
of several factors, you face sleep deprivation and several
unhealthy conditions and illnesses,” he says. “I was always scared of giving up on a corporate job,”
Coutinho admits, elaborating, “I had a fixed salary, a good
The Heart of the Matter designation, and all the right vectors that pointed to a
These observations formed the legendary first step decent future. Nonetheless, one fine day, I said to myself:
towards a long and celebrated journey. Coutinho’s enough is enough and that I will take the leap. This has
realisation encouraged him to research more on this been the best decision of my life. After that, it has only
subject and he “stumbled upon”, says he, the subject of been waitlists of patients and people and travels and
integrative and lifestyle medicine. The practice that he studies. It just flowed naturally. I believe the reason for
follows is a holistic system that puts the patient at the this is that the intention was right, and hence the next
centre of the diagnosis and the treatment, narrowing steps were easier to identify and follow.”
down to what leads to the condition that they face rather
than on merely focusing on superficial symptoms, explains Coutinho, in a matter-of-fact manner, remarked about
Coutinho. how the path always shows itself once one is on the road.

BW WELLBEINGWORLD | MARCH 2022

36 COVER STORY

But I reminded him and myself that it would be impossible For Coutinho, which is something that is a condition where one develops
to come as far as he has, had it not been for the effort, nothing and similar symptoms to acidity, and Coutinho worked at
practice, discipline and many scientific inputs that he had no one is more clarifying this kind of information on social media.
employed in order to guide his patients. On that note, the important than “Sharing information out in the public made me feel good.
big question was about how broke into a market that even his patients. I wanted to meet more people who had genuine problems
at that time was considered relatively cluttered. Not to No matter and help them out as much as I could,” he avers.
my surprise, I found that the democratisation of content how rich the
platforms, as early as in the form of social media, had a client might Soon enough, he got the opportunity to help his first
role to play. be, he has to cancer patient too, someone whose immunity had been
wait for his very low and whose inflammation was very high over
Finding a Niche turn to get his the last five years. He put in a protocol for immunity
Coutinho recalls how he had to struggle to find a space consultation. and inflammation in their treatment, and this led to the
for himself in a competitive industry. “There were already patient living for more than another five years as opposed
several established nutritionists and doctors in the field to only five days as many other doctors had estimated. “I
and no one even knew me. But I knew what I wanted to do, tell people that no doctor is a healer. He or she can only
which was in ensuring that I addressed the root cause of a enable the human body to heal. One has to put faith in
patient’s problem,” says Coutinho. He had already begun their own body,” he tells me. I see in Coutinho a conviction
seeing patients within his circle regularly by this time. that many others also have but few can claim, and this is
Acidity was one of the most common ailments that he had what sets him apart.
come across among people living the toxic urban lifestyle,
for instance. This was yet another moment of truth for him The Coffee Shop Consultations
as he tried to understand the problem but realised that I was aware how Coutinho would initially often take many
he did not want to limit his pursuit to this problem alone. of his consultation sessions in coffee shops. Needless to
But he also continued to focus on educating people and say, this triggered my intrigue even more about him. After
creating awareness about the health condition. all, I’d have imagined that any hospital would have been
happy to have him on board, but it turns out that I was not
As a result, Coutinho turned towards social media — or entirely wrong. It’s just that some of the unspoken norms
rather, Facebook Live — to be precise, where he hosted of hospitals did not sit well with this recently-converted
his first video about acidity, what its symptoms were, and wellness coach. “The first hospital I went to showed me to
how one could find out whether or not he or she had an a fancy cabin where I was told to generate a large amount
underlying problem. For instance, he found that many of money. This did not exclude asking patients to go for
people tend to confuse acidity with low stomach acid, MRIs and scans. I came across the concept of kickbacks
at this time, and I decided never to work from a hospital.”

Consequently, every single day, Coutinho would take a
consultation session from a coffee shop, where he did
not charge anyone at first because he wanted to make
a name for himself with people and see the results that
came from his advice. When you love your job, you will
be good at it. This applied to his case, and soon after,
he started charging his patients a nominal fee. “I had
one vision for whoever was in [a session with me] — in
front of them, I wanted to ensure I was being effective in
addressing their base problems,” he asserts.

Even when he opened his clinic, he realised that people
loved meeting him more in coffee shops. There was no
pressure in the environment, and it instead provided a
very peaceful and relaxed space. He did the same while
he was in New York as well. To date, if his patients want to

BW WELLBEINGWORLD | MARCH 2022

37HOLISTIC WELLBEING

meet him at a coffee shop, he agrees to do so. He cited
the example about how, when he goes to Dubai, even
there too, he meets his patients in coffee shops. “Even
though I never planned a fancy clinic, I am now well-
known enough,” he modestly remarks. Coutinho works
with doctors as well and people invite him to their clinics
to help their patients. He takes his brand of problem-
solving to these consultations as well.

Expert Advice “The first case study], but all of us largely follow a multi-disciplinary
There was no end to our conversation: we could have hospital I went approach,” he says.
gone on and on. However, I came back to the more to showed
practical aspects of wellness and decided to first question me to a fancy Simplicity is what marks Coutinho’s collaborative
him about what he believed were some of the wrong cabin where approach with other practitioners in the field. He often
practices that people in India tend to follow in their I was told to refers his patients to other psychiatrists and experts at
everyday diets and how this should change. He replied, generate a times, especially if the need arises in doing so. As stress
“Firstly, there is a tendency to eat dinner too late. Look at large amount needs to be handled and sleep deprivation addressed,
the wisdom we have: take Jainism for example. In Jainism, of money. This Coutinho discusses how the body heals primarily when it
it is said: ‘eat at sunset and then eat after the sun rises’. did not exclude sleeps. “That is why we get tired after doing a lot of work.
Secondly, the other problem is in having working lunches. asking patients It is a signal that the body is giving to a person — that he
When the body is stressed, you can’t digest well. Thirdly, to go for MRIs or she needs sleep,” he adds.
we follow sedentary lifestyles. Fourthly, I’d say, it’s in and scans. I
following fat diets.” came across According to the guru, willpower has a shelf life at the end
the concept of of the day. He explains how emotional eating can affect
While these are the problems that he tries to remind kickbacks at us. Most of us are sugar junkies who crave junk food, after
people to change, Coutinho’s emphasis is on always this time and I all. “Dopamine intake makes the brain want to get more
walking the talk and living what he preaches. He eats decided never of it, even if it is by eating sweet foods. Sugar is fine at a
only one dessert a week, and everything else on his to work from a low level of intake but what makes it worse and worse is
plate is well-balanced. That is the key to good health. hospital.” over-consumption,” he cautions.
He says that the healthiest patients he sees are not
those who have six-pack abs, but those who are happy. Despite how rich a client might be, he has to after all wait
They might be overweight but their medical parameters for his turn until he gets his turn to begin his consultation
are clean. Sometimes, actors, actresses, models and session with Coutinho in his packed schedule. But still,
athletes with great bodies have diabetes, mental health nothing and no one is more important to Coutinho than
issues, inflammation in their kidneys or liver and they are his patients, and they remain his first priority. As we begin
stressed out as well. They are unhappy. to wrap up our enlightening conversation, Coutinho tells
me that he has zero regrets in his life. Being simple and
Finding the Depth in Simplicity complex at the same time in his head means that he is a
“Medicine can be complicated, but the simple thing is person whose inner space is thriving. And without that, he
that if you are not happy about the way your body is would never be able to give out the healing vibe that he
[functioning], you must recreate an environment around always does. 
you of good health for yourself,” he advises.
What has also worked in Coutinho’s favour is that he did
not stop the relentless pursuit of seeking and equipping
himself with more knowledge and with constantly
upgrading himself. He is constantly studying, something
which he calls a hobby. “We need to know about the
medicines that a patient is taking and whether there are
any side effects. We have a medical team that includes
doctors and when we take the case of a patient, four or
five people look at it. I also put in notes [into my patient’s

BW WELLBEINGWORLD | MARCH 2022

38 OVERVIEW

ADVAIT YOGBHUSHAN AMARESH OJHA AMEVE SHARMA ANURADHA BHARAT ARPIT SHARMA ASHUTOSH THATTE
Founder & Director-Swamarpan Founder of Kapiva Vice President-People founder & CEO of Seven Seas Sr. Manager – HR & Lead for
Livewell APAC, Edleman India
Foundation and Sacred Sciences Teacher Operations, Razorpay Software Spas & Calibar Protein aspires

BHARAT SACHDEVA DEEPTI PATHAK DISHA VARMA DIMPY MAHANTA SWATI CHAWLA ILASHREE GOSWAMI
Health and fitness consultant at Founder & CEO, Deepti Partner, A&H Founding Head, Dept. of Global Wellness Lead, Yoga Psychotherapist at
Psychology, Cotton University
WarriorYogi Fit, Pathak Company Quality Sleep Supports Senior Manager Ilashrei Anand

JAIVARDHAN AGARWAL JENNIFER SCHWALBE JOSHUA SAMUEL KARISHMA SHAH KULDEEP KUMAR LOVNEET BATRA
Founder AyurVridh Managing Partner Wellness Coach, Integrative Founder, Namastay Homes Nutritionist
PRABHU Antano and Harini
CEO & Co Founder, Circee Health Nutritionist and Health

HARI KRISHNAN MEHAKDEEP SINGH MOUMITA NANDY NAKSHI SATRA NMAMI AGARWAL NOOR ARORA
Co-Founder A&H Trajectory Co Founder, Fitelo Clinical Psychologist Founder, Life & Business – Founder & CEO, Nmami Life Co Founder, First Water

Acceleration Wellness Strategist Solutions

PALLAV BIHANI PRITIKA SINGH PRITY BANERJEE NABHIT KAPUR PURU VARMA RICHA SINGH
Founder of Boldfit CEO of Prayag Group of Director and Founder, Little Founder & President, Partner, A&H Family CEO & Co-Founder of
Peacful Mind Foundation
Hospitals Umbrella Foundation Evolution Yourdost

RISHI BAVEJA ROHIT DHINGRA SAHIL GUPTA SAKSHI PATIL SARVESH SHASHI SAUMYA SHARMA
Founder & CEO of Infinite HR Manager at Pernod Managing Partner, Excellence CEO and Founder of Emotional-Mental Wellbeing

Health Studios (IHS) Ricard India (PRI) Installations Education, Antano & Harini Sarva Yoga Therapist and Coach

SHOBHA RANA SONIA KARARHA SUMEET CHILWAL TAPAN MISHRA
Founder of The Yogini Executive & Life Coach Co-Founder & Chief Founder and CEO of
Consciousness Officer
Square Evergreen Club

BW WELLBEINGWORLD | MARCH 2022

39

WCAGEELELENLBTBRSEAINTGINCGBWHWTelAlbHeinNgE40GUnEder40
celebrates a new generation of
Team BW evangelists that are driving change
In 2021, some of the buzzwords that dominated head-
lines and any conversation around the Indian wellness in the Indian health and wellbeing
space were immune health, self-care and mental wellbe- sector.
ing. This was not surprising after the significance that
wellbeing gained in the year gone when health became Happiness Infinite Solutions; Raj Nayak, Founder and
among the top priorities for most people. In India, this Managing Director, House of Cheer Network and Shashi
change sees many who are practising different ways to Bhushan Dubey – Spiritual Coach and Business Mentor.
heal people and promote the cause of health.
Also in the jury panel were luminaries like Rituparna
The BW Wellbeing World 40 Under 40 awards was Bhayana, Energy Master Healer; Nitin Arora, Professor,
instituted to celebrate this set of leaders. The initiative Proctor & Author Head Reiki Centre of Excellence for
was conceptualised with the sole purpose of giving the Science of Happiness, Amity International Business
recognition to experts in their respective fields under the School, Amity University (AUUP); Suzy Singh, Mental
umbrella of wellbeing. These included all sub-sectors Health Coach & Grief Counsellor Suzyheals; Danijela Ra-
such as mind, body, soul, personal space and work life donic Bhandari (Dana), Integrative Wellbeing Counsellor
among others. & Founder, DanaVeda; Subi Chaturvedi, PHD IITD, Chief
Corporate & Public Affairs Officer, Zupee; Vani Gupta
The jury-run process was divided into three phases. The Dandia, Founder, Cherry Peach Plum Growth Partners;
first phase saw an outreach to over 2500 individuals Manisha Arora, Director, Taf Wellness and Annurag
and companies in this space. More than 250 nomina- Batra, Chairman and Editor-In-Chief, BW Businessworld
tions, through a combined process, were received. In the and exchange4media Group
second phase, these nominations were vetted for their
information and a total of 73 shortlisted entries were A Cut Above
then presented to a jury panel. Forming the third phase, With enthusiasm and motivation, the nominees show-
a quorum of renowned experts judged the candidates. cased their passion, skills and overall maturity in terms
The parameters comprised elevator pitch, achievements of being dedicated to their goals and helping build a
and contributions, mission and vision and implementa- better tomorrow. Some of them proved to be exemplary
tion and also their confidence of why they deserve the in their presentation, goal highlighting, building a con-
award. nect of mutual respect and last but not the least, proving
themselves worthy of immense praise and accolades.
The final 40 were awarded after this process.
A Rigorous Jury Process by Experts BW Wellbeing World as a community strives to touch
The jury members consisted veterans and trendsetters a very large number of lives positively and also create
such as Luke Coutinho, Holistic Lifestyle Coach, Inte- a better future. Concepts and important facets of
grative and Lifestyle Medicine & Founder, YouCare – All wellbeing, like spirituality, mental health, nutrition,
about YOU; Arvind Bhandari, EVP and Director, Nestle; exercise, a joyous way of life and good overall progress
Gouri Shankar Tenginkai, Director, Novo Healthcare; are celebrated to the extent of creating a benchmark of
Daksha Bharadwaj, Architect Partner Bharadwaj Bha- holistic wellbeing. 
radwaj and Associates; Trustee, Dr. Satyakam Vedic Re-
search Foundation; Jwalant Swaroop, Founder and CEO

BW WELLBEINGWORLD | MARCH 2022

40 SPOTLIGHT ADVAIT YOGBHUSHAN

WELLBEING, THE ‘IDEAL
STATE OF EXISTENCE
ITSELF’

I want to revive
the foundational
education techniques
from our ancient
education system.
The west has taken
over the essence of
a wellbeing practice.
We are aiming to
take preventive
measures by bringing
a corroborative
shift towards the
authentic practice
of Yoga, said Advait
Yogbhushan, the
Founder & Director
- Swamarpan
Foundation and
Sacred Sciences
Teacher.

BW WELLBEINGWORLD | MARCH 2022

BW WELLBEING 40 UNDER 40 41

B eing an ancient practice, yoga can positively My definition of surroundings. We are creating authentic yoga teachers
provide much-needed support to the human wellbeing has all over the world, instilling them with the true essence
mind, especially in the present world that of this discipline,” informs Yogbhushan.
operates at breakneck speed and poses
several demands and challenges. As per many experts, been inspired The Differentiator
yoga combined with physical postures, breathing tech- by our culture There are more than 100 types of organisations
niques and meditation or relaxation, can work wonders. itself, which is or schools of yoga where most sessions generally
Yoga is now regarded as a holistic approach to health to get liberated include breathing exercises, meditation and assuming
and is classified by the National Institutes of Health as postures that stretch and flex various muscle groups.
a form of complementary and alternative medicine. And
it is precisely this art that attracted Advait Yogbhushan, from the body Advait’s programs and initiatives are based on inten-
a Sacred Sciences Teacher and Founder & Director - and the mind sive research and Vedic sciences. As macro emerges
Swamarpan Foundation. before death from micro, his programs, practices or teachings not
only enhance the quality of life of an individual, rather
“I understand, we are on a journey of wellbeing from liberates. enhance the efficiency of the group.
the time we take birth. I gained a clear understanding This can be
of my contribution of making people familiar with the “I am seeing myself become a reason for making India
state of wellbeing and technique to attain it, during my achieved more prosperous in terms of education, culture and
time in Africa. I was in there at the time treating people successfully its Holistic Health culture,” adds Yogbhushan when
with chronic ailments with the help of yogic sciences asked about where he sees himself two decades from
and considering a further PhD in yoga. However, it was and now.
there that I was challenged to drop the idea of pursuing scientifically
a PhD to focus on creating a system that interests future Among those who inspire him to make a difference,
scholars to study. It is my truest desire to provide the through Yogbhushan points to Ramesh Bijlani. While describ-
most authentic technique of wellbeing to everyone,” says the path of ing Bijlani, he notes, “He is a doctor turned into a
Yogbhushan as he reflects on his journey of wellbeing. alignment to yogi. He is an Indian writer, inspirational speaker,
medical scientist and retired professor of physiology
To Answer a Calling who has specialised in physiology, nutrition and Yoga.”
Yogbhushan and his teachings have impacted sev-
eral lives so far in terms of health and spirituality. He enlightenment. Cherishing the Roots
has treated over 4000 people suffering from chronic I am the one Wellbeing holds special meaning for Yogbhushan.
ailments and created more than 180 authentic yoga who sees no The BW Wellbeing 40 under 40 2021 winner says that
teachers. difference wellbeing is the natural state of existence for him.
in yoga or “Every being deserves wellbeing. Our mind makes us
To “revive the foundational education techniques from Vedanta. do everything in life and I want to remind everyone
our ancient education system” is what Yogbhushan sees that the mind is not an independent functionary; it’s
as his mission and vision. “The West has taken over the dependent on the experience of the body, this is how
essence of a wellbeing practice, we are aiming to take the mind gets cultivated,” he advises.
preventive measures by bringing a corroborative shift
towards the authentic practice of yoga,” he says. Balance in human existence plays a paramount role. A
person’s mind and body too are similar in this context.
With business modules emerging in every corner of the “Each of them is equally effective on each other. In-
world, there is a need to look at a future where the cor- dian culture has been offering this from ancient times
porate sector will include most of the economic frame- through yoga. My definition of wellbeing has been
work, capital and manpower. Vedic science has incredible inspired by our culture itself, which is to get liberated
knowledge that can stimulate the growth of any sector from the body and the mind before death liberates.
following a rational application. This can be achieved successfully and scientifically
through the path of alignment to enlightenment. I am
“Our Vedic Yoga institution is in the Himalayas, where the one who sees no difference in yoga or Vedanta,”
yoga teachers are trained in the best of atmosphere and he concludes. 

BW WELLBEINGWORLD | MARCH 2022

42 INTERVIEW AMEVE SHARMA

“I WANT TO MAKE
AYURVEDA PART OF
PEOPLE’S DAILY LIFE”

Ameve Sharma,the
founder of Kapiva
Ayurveda, a homegrown
direct to consumer (D2C)
brand empowering Indian
consumers with modern,
accessible and everyday
Ayurveda. Sharma built
Kapiva from the ground
up as a disruptor in the
Ayurvedic foods industry,
by innovating various
product formats through
which Ayurveda can be
consumed in daily diets.
As the founder, Sharma
sets the overall direction
for the business and
looks after D2C sales
(website), new product
development, exports
and manufacturing.

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43BW WELLBEING 40 UNDER 40

S harma completed his Bachelors in Economics Basket, Pharmeasy, 1mg, GoQii, Smytten and others. We
from New York University and then pur- are also present offline in general trade outlets across 12
sued an MBA from INSEAD. He worked as a cities and outlets pan India and expanding rapidly. More
consultant with McKinsey & Company, post his than 80 per cent of our business comes from the top 10
MBA. Before this, he attended New York University, where cities where we sell both online and offline. Tier 1 and 2
he majored in Economics with a minor in Political Science cities are also big consumers of our products through the
and finance. His early education took place in India with ecommerce channels.
his college and school education at United World College,
IB, Pune and La Martiniere for Boys, Kolkata respectively. What is your ambition for Kapiva?

In an interaction with BW Wellbeing World, Sharma talks My mission with Kapiva is to make Ayurveda a part of
about his journey, growing popularity and its expansion
plans. Edited Excerpts: people’s daily life by catering to the wellness needs

How did your wellbeing journey begin and what of people and innovating product formats to best suit
does it mean to you?
Ayurveda is ingrained in me and has always been a way and aim at solving various lifestyle issues. We have
of life. But, as I grew up, I realised that’s not the case for
everyone. Even though it has been a part of our lives for The fast- integrated Ayurveda into interesting formats such
centuries, it’s still not adopted as a lifestyle choice. Rather as juices, gummies, effervescent and powders and
people perceive it as medicinal or something you would
use only when the need arises. I wanted to change this paced world Ayurvedic breakfasts. The idea is to bring research and
perception towards Ayurveda and raise awareness on how
with the consistent adoption of Ayurveda better lifestyle demanded quick science-based Ayurveda and provide the most potent
can be built over time. With this aim in mind, we started quality of products, which stems from quality ingredient
Kapiva with a clinic-retail model in 2015. and convenient sourcing. In line with this, we have recently onboarded

However, it did not take us much time to realise it wasn’t solutions model and entrepreneur, Malaika Arora, as a strategic
sustainable. Therefore, we swiftly adapted our strategy to investor and brand ambassador.
address the huge need gap that existed in the Ayurveda
ecosystem. The fast-paced world demanded quick and to lifestyle,
convenient solutions to lifestyle, nutrition and various
health problems. Right there, we knew where we wanted nutrition and Where do you see yourself 20 years from now?
to head. Hence, we picked up the D2C route and decided It is not easy to a prediction like that but 20 years from
to provide modernised, accessible Ayurvedic products.
This route allowed us to directly connect with the con- various health now, I hope to see Kapiva as a household name and an
sumers and serve them quickly. We have further adapted FMCG brand in India as well as in other leading countries
our strategy -- be it building a consumer-first website, problems. and Ayurveda via Kapiva to become an integral part
distributing our products to more than 6000 stores or
building an academy of experts to raise awareness (Ka- Right there, we of daily consumption. We also want to build on sister
piva Academy of Ayurveda) to enable as many people as brands that look at Ayurveda for wellness in different
possible. Going forward, we’ll further enhance our efforts
to raise awareness and make Ayurveda a part of people’s knew where we avenues.
daily life.
wanted to head.
What is your current business model? Who is your favourite person in the wellbeing space?
Kapiva has an omnichannel sales strategy. We are build- My favourite person and someone’s work I look up to
ing and catering for our consumers via our D2C website, in the Ayurvedic space is Mr. Manal, the founder of
Kapiva.in that caters to the majority of our audience Himalaya who strived to bring Ayurvedic therapies to
along with marketplaces such as Amazon, Flipkart, Big people through scientific research. Mr Manal formulated
Serpina, the world’s first natural antihypertensive drug,
launched in 1934, after four years of scientific research.
As we look at bringing research and science-backed
ayurvedic nutrition to Indians, he is an inspiration.

What does wellbeing mean to you?
I firmly believe that holistic health is not the absence of
weakness, but the presence of vitality. Therefore, we,
at Kapiva, aim to build a more holistic and vital lifestyle
for young India by providing them with modern and ac-
cessible Ayurvedic solutions. We achieve so by offering
authentic and nutritious products using the research
and science-backed Ayurveda and the finest ingredients
available. 

BW WELLBEINGWORLD | MARCH 2022

44 INTERVIEW AMARESH OJHA

Gympik, a
company
founded by
Amaresh
Ojha is now an
eminent part
of RoundGlass
Wellbeing, a
global holistic
wellbeing
company
dedicated to
empowering
and enabling
people on
their personal
wellbeing

journey.

DEVELOPING AN
INTEGRATED FITNESS

ECOSYSTEM

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45BW WELLBEING 40 UNDER 40

I n the age of size-zeros and diets, there are several changed everything upside down. However, I have had
people who are struggling to find the right fitness plenty of opportunities to learn, recreate, evolve and
centre around their area or city. An authenticated, innovate. This journey has been the weirdest and yet
verified, fitness centre with good personal trainers an eye-opening one. A few things I have learnt that I
is the need of the hour, who can lead you towards a will be following for the rest of my life come what may
better lifestyle as far as your wellbeing and health is and I am sure I will be following every bit of it in the
concerned. coming years to make an impact in the world.

The modern era is something where we get everything “I believe There are a few things that I swear by, which are to
at the click of a mouse. Humankind is witnessing a major
shift in their lifestyles which is unfortunately not positive. in holistic believe in yourself, invest in learning, stay focused
This shift is certainly forcing people in their late 20s, on your purpose and take care of your physical and
30s and 40s to face many lifestyle diseases like obesity,
blood pressure, diabetes, heart problems etc. wellbeing mental health. Also, last but not least things are to

The Founder and CEO of Gympik, Amaresh Ojha in a that includes hassle, do and re-do what you think is the right thing
conversation with BW Wellbeing magazine sheds light on for you to grow.
various aspects of his life. He talked about the struggles
he faced in his life, how he overcame them and his jour- one’sphysical,  
ney towards wellbeing.
emotional, Tell us about your business model.  
Ojha founded Gympik in 2014 with an aim to aid the social and My company named Gympik.com is an online market-
discovery process of fitness solutions for end-users. He intellectual place for discovering fitness centres and gyms. Gympik
also aimed to develop an integrated fitness ecosystem is India’s largest fitness discovery and trusted online
that revolutionized the way users discover ways of lead- membership selling platform. We have the best gyms,
ing healthy and fit lives.
health. It’s yoga, Zumba and dance classes, Pilate studios, aerobic
How did your wellbeing journey start and what centres listed on our site.
does it mean to you?  
My wellbeing journey started more than a decade back an approach
when I wanted to work on my physical fitness and I end-
ed up joining a fitness centre. It had its own challenges towards Our latest innovation is an all-in-one Club Manage-
in the beginning but when I look back, I feel that I have integrating ment Software, Traqade that not only helps business
come a long way. I have spent time making fitness my health and owners manage records, view various reports and
lifestyle choice. All these things helped me recreate the manage billings but allows the club owners to launch
structure of my life, right from taking authority of my marketing campaigns, manage staff performance
own physical and mental health to giving a form to my
passion as Gympik and spreading the gift of fitness to healing that and even connect with members on a personal lev-
many. el. Traqade is a SaaS-based gym and club manage-
 
What is your vision and mission?  reflects in our ment software. Our software is used by more than
In a country like India, technology plays a big role in
taking wellbeing solutions to the masses and improving behaviour and 1,000 fitness companies in India. It is an intuitive,
the overall quality of life. The developments in AI and ML feature-rich, integrated fitness business management
have made many things possible now that earlier were mindset and platform with built-in intelligence for the Indian fitness
unfathomable. My mission is to make the earth a better
and healthy place with the help of technology. enables us to and wellness industry. It is designed to digitize the
  fitness journey of the member by constantly adding
Where do you see yourself 20 years from now? 
The next 20 years is a long time span. We have seen make positive value to their life.
a huge unpredictability in the last two years that has
changes in our Who is your favourite person in the wellbeing

life” space other than yourself? 
I admire and respect the founder of RoundGlass,
Sunny Singh dearly. He is the one who believes that
holistic wellbeing has the power to change the world
for the better.
 

What is your definition of wellbeing?
I believe in holistic wellbeing that includes one’s phys-
ical, emotional, social and intellectual health. It’s an
approach towards integrating health and healing that
reflects in our behaviour and mindset and enables us
to make positive changes in our life. 

BW WELLBEINGWORLD | MARCH 2022

46 SPOTLIGHT ANURADHA BHARAT

YBOEUHSUUMCBCLEEEWD HEN

A dynamic
and

creative HR
professional,

Anuradha
Bharat, Vice

President-
People

Operations,
Razorpay
Software,

comes with a
wide-ranging
experience at

high-profile
organisations
across varied

industries.

W ith a strong experience in the design and implementation of innovative HR, lead-
ership and talent initiatives with a solutions-oriented approach, Anuradha Bharat,
Vice President-People Operations, Razorpay Software, is known for her charismatic
relationship-building skills and a consultative style of working. She was among the
first 15 members of Razorpay and was also the company’s first female employee.

BW WELLBEINGWORLD | MARCH 2022

47BW WELLBEING 40 UNDER 40

Bharat has worked with large organisations such as My vision is to see workspaces becoming modern and
VMWare and Symphony before she started to build the progressive to adapt to this thought - making work-
Razorpay team from scratch. She is an expert in build- spaces truly holistic in approaching an individual’s
ing and leading great people-oriented teams and pro- growth,” she further says.
grams, change management, executive coaching, talent
acquisition, workforce planning and employee relations, Wellbeing is a When asked about where she envisions herself 20
performance management, diversity and organisation state of being years from now, Bharat underlines, “Years from
design and development, to name a few. today, the initiatives that I have taken now towards
where there focusing on a person’s overall growth, stand the test
She has a proven track record in creating organisational is a balance of time and set a benchmark for companies across
transformation by aligning people strategies with busi- to physical, the globe to follow. Workspaces should care and have
ness objectives. With over 15 years of experience, she empathy as their foundation and core values. Under-
is an MSc in psychology and organisational behaviour emotional standing that there cannot be professional growth if
from Mysore University. and mental there is no personal growth to an individual, building
workspaces that can cover all aspects to growing
In a conversation with BW Wellbeing World, Bharat employees will be great to see.”
throws light on her journey of wellbeing and what does
it mean to her. wellbeing, to
She adds, “After all, today’s leaders have the respon-
Trying Again & Again
“From a very young age, I was exposed to wellbeing bring the best sibility to bring better, well-rounded leaders to the
in the form of yoga, sports, kindness, etc. The home
environment was filled with smiles, freedom; it is a in oneself in ecosystem.”
happy and secure place. I was always given the space to
make independent decisions, make mistakes and learn. all aspects of For Bharat, a significant part of her inspiration comes
Success had a different definition of trying and learning. life. A person’s from her mother, who too is in the wellbeing space.
Looking back, I was fortunate to have all aspects of ability to have Bharat avers, “My mother is my inspiration and my
wellbeing -- physical, mental and emotional, taken care support, the foundation I got as a child is what has
of. Despite the hardships at home, my parents stood as the courage shaped me to be who I am today, Sowmya Krishna
strong pillars to the whole family. They dared to face to accept that from The Green Oak Initiative. She is a true advocate
everything with a smile and still always do the right situation can and practitioner of wellness. Her selfless work in the
things. This has been the foundation of everything I do. space of wellness, especially during Covid and in her
To have the courage to fail and get up and try again. Be own difficult times has been a true inspiration for me.”
humble when you succeed.”
have an impact “She, along with her organisation, ran a 24/7
She adds, “To me, having this safe environment to on self and that free helpline to support the frontline workers. The
be yourself, the freedom of thoughts and expression we may not be calls from the hospital staff were disturbing and
allowed me to always do the best I could. I aimed for traumatising -- the situation was out of control.
excellence rather than perfection.” able to be the However, they kept giving their all to provide courage
best at all times. and support to the innumerable frontline workers
Balancing Professional & Personal wellbeing who needed a vent, to deal with what was happening.
Speaking about her vision and mission, Bharat asserts, Someone to tell them that they were not alone, to
“I aim to create a space and environment that not only just listen. This team absorbed all their trauma so
brings out a person’s innate goodness but also helps they could go on. That’s inspiring and motivating,”
realise their true potential. This is true for both personal Bharat adds.
and professional aspects. The positive vibe that we
create can contribute to people’s life in totality.” Bharat defines wellbeing as a state of being where
there is a balance to physical, emotional and mental
“A person can only truly be happy when there is a wellbeing, to bring the best in oneself in all aspects of
balance to both professional and personal wellbeing. life. She says, “A person’s ability to have the courage
to accept that situation can have an impact on self
and that we may not be able to be the best at all
times.” 

BW WELLBEINGWORLD | MARCH 2022

48 SPOTLIGHT ARPIT SHARMA

TWOESLLTABYEIRNEGSHILEIELNPST

Arpit Sharma
developed
48 wellness
properties
within 12
years. The

founder & CEO
of Seven Seas
Spas & Calibar

Protein
aspires to
commence

wellness
healing hotels
in the country

Photographs by Ritesh Sharma

BW WELLBEINGWORLD | MARCH 2022

49BW WELLBEING 40 UNDER 40

Photographs by Indiapicturebudget “I read about our services and product. He says, “I see myself as one of
how there are the most recognised players in the market to help people
A founding member of ISWA- Indian Spa few regions in achieve their wellness goals and not just experience but
and Wellness Association, Arpit Sharma the world where also learn from the vast pool of information and courses I
specialises in spa operations, corporate am creating to build the next generation prioritising their
tie-ups, development of its client roster’s health and longevity.”
spa vision for maximum profitability and longevity. As the
CEO and founder of Seven Seas Spas and the director the maximum Growing the Pie
of, Sansha SPAS, Sharma established the presence of population lives When asked about his expansion plan, he adds, “My ap-
the first Indian spa company in South Africa. For Sharma, proach emphasises sound financial structures, best-of-
wellbeing allows to strengthen people to overcome more than 100 breed management systems, personnel development and
unprecedented challenges and the year gone has em- years. That brand building prowess. I researched well to be able to
phasised this all the more. became my provide world-class services and standards that the in-
dustry needed to grow a healthy spa business. Hence my
The Starting Point goal to create understanding of the spa environment spans the greater
When asked when he started his journey in the wellbeing products and international picture to the most minute spa operational
industry, he said, “I read about how there are few regions services which detail. Over the years I have developed a strong network
in the world where the maximum population lives more of associates.” His spas have assisted with environmen-
than 100 years. That became my goal to create products tal, ecological, indigenous and cultural considerations.
and services which help to increase longevity and a
lifestyle based on happiness. Wellbeing for me means help to increase Further, Sharma is also the co-founder of Calibar Protein
inner happiness for me which often comes from mental longevity and a Bars which focuses on health inside out and therefore
strength, focus and a healthy lifestyle. I run marathons, lifestyle based created high carb high fibre with low sugar protein
triathlons, meditate, dance and exercise to keep my on happiness.” bars which help to maintain daily nutrition in the body.
wellbeing to the best level I can.” It is currently available across India with 300 stores,
including Wellness forever, 24*7 and other national
Sharma has a vision and mission to create products and stores. He believes that wellbeing helps to stay resilient,
services for lasting health, wellbeing and happiness. In build social support and self-efficacy and cope with
the next 20 years, he aspires to develop new concepts adversity. It does not just come from taking care of your
and plans, which includes opening wellness healing hotels body with exercise and medication but also kindness and
in association with universities manufacturing gourmet gratitude.
nutrition products and also running a wellness technol-
ogy platform with these current rates of expansion with

BW WELLBEINGWORLD | MARCH 2022

50 SPOTLIGHT ASHUTOSH THATTE

WPEMREIPLMLLEBOEYIMEINEPGSO’IRSTOAFNCE

Ashutosh
Thatte, Senior
Manager –
HR & Lead for
Livewell APAC,
Edleman India,
speaks to BW
Wellbeing
World about
the need and
importance of
wellbeing for
employees.

BW WELLBEINGWORLD | MARCH 2022