When talking about wellness in India, we must first talk about inflation. Inflation has become a term everyone is familiar with. Rising costs influenced by exacerbated geopolitical tensions have made life difficult for individuals in most situations, not sparing even the medical landscape. According to Acko India’s Health Insurance Index 2024, the healthcare costs in India are witnessing an increase at an annual rate of 14%.
The increase in medical costs is leading people to avoid taking medical care for diseases that can be relatively managed like diabetes, weakness in movements and heart problems on time, thereby increasing the chances of untimely deaths within families. The appearances of undiagnosed health problems during later stages of one’s life and increasing costs of even a general health check-up prompts individuals to invest in what has come to be known as “Preventative Healthcare.”Companies in the preventative health sector have acquired a funding at an approximation of $1.8 billion, showcasing the growth potential of the sector and investor interest.
INDIA’S HISTORY
India and wellness have been synonymous with each other since 2,500 BC. With Yoga, Siddha, Unani, Ayurveda. Robust healthcare practices have been outlined in ancient texts in India that have served as a foundation for various medical procedures even after the introduction of Allopathy (a collective term given to pharmaceutical drugs) and advanced surgeries.
wellness & the pandemic
While taking care of one’s health is something inculcated in individuals from their childhoods, the wellness industry has seen exponential growth since the onset of the pandemic, evolving into a diverse industry by 2025. Wellness began in the form of home remedies during COVID-19 where a sense of fear prompted people in quarantine to explore recipes which are more healthy and avoid the consumption of junk food. There was also an emphasis on acknowledging one’s mental health and making an uptick in the conversation surrounding it.
wearable technology
We began to see an interesting intersection of wellness and technology. The first appearance of this in the mainstream market was with the introduction of Apple watches which tracked important metrics such as vitals, skin temperature etc. helping notify individuals of any anomalies with regards to their health. Apple watches became increasingly popular as they served as a helpful tool in setting workout goals and tracking essentials like calorie burned, oxygen levels, etc. which were shared on Instagram and became an important part of a workout outfit. With AI evolving, devices are now equipped to identify underlying health issues of the individual wearing such devices. They also provide customised treatments or routines suiting the user’s needs. Independent of Apple, “Fitbits” too have become a popular phenomena among fitness freaks. While it’s a brand on its own, Fitbits have become the universal term for a wearable fitness tracker. Similarly, another brand called Whoop took this to the next level. Whoop who followed the same model as “Fitbit” but catered towards the luxury segment. Whoop boasts its native advertising model by being spotted on the wrists of Formula One driver Lando Norris and Golf Pro Rory Mcilroy, positioning itself as a trusted brand by accomplished athletes.
Wearable technology is not limited to tracking vitals but also tracks other important functions such as sleep. Ultrahuman, founded by Mohit Kumar, Vatsal Kumar and Adhit Shet in 2019 were the pioneers in introducing a sleep tracking ring helping users track their overall health in a state of rest by registering their circadian rhythms over a time. They were joined by WakeFit to introduce a contactless alternative for the same technology. Ultrahuman and Wakefit being involved in niche sectors of Wellness technology gave momentum to a growing market in India.
While Wellness is making great strides in incorporating itself through wearable devices, it may not be the most economically viable option for students who want to take a step towards improving their overall lifestyle habits.
THE AGE OF THE INTERNET
After spending the majority of the early 2020s relatively confined within their homes, 2023 saw an increase of Gen-Zs and Millennials engaging in fitness activities involving the outdoors. After the boom of “Hot Girl Walk” and Chloe Ting workouts, TikTok saw an increase in different trends such as “Silent walking” and “6-6-6 walking.” Walking, which used to be seen as an activity only for the older generations, became a common practice among young adults and an essential part of their daily routines.
I’ve often found myself unconsciously associating wellness as a lifestyle of being someone who conforms to the “pilates princess” or “spin class in juicy couture” or “matcha latte” girl aesthetic (hey, there’s a reason why matcha as exploded in almost every cafe you can imagine). This can be attributed as a result to the rise of multiple wellness influencers, giving an equal importance to more conscious living through holistic wellness.
HOLISTIC WELLNESS
Exercise has always been essential to maintaining one’s well-being. The World Health Organisation recommends adults to dedicate 150-300 minutes of moderate intensity aerobic activity or 75-150 minutes of intense aerobic activity per week for maximum health benefits. The growth of wellness and community based experiences is reflected in the rise of trends like “run-clubs” and the elevation of normative gym experiences. There has also been a noticeable shift in gyms introducing curated workouts for specific needs of an individual such as finding gym partners, or attaining a specific fitness goal. Gym experiences have become more favourable with the introduction of “Athleisure” transforming this into an Instagram friendly experience, adding a fashion element to what may seem a drab workout session.
While going to the gym is great, there has also been an upsurge when it comes to Holistic wellness. In India this has extended beyond just engaging in yoga. Fitness & Pilates influencer Namrata Purohit has been a pioneer in establishing Pilates studios in major cities like Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad and Chennai, being the first mover in a growing market with a Compounded Annual Growth Rate to $34.3 billion by the year 2033. It’s safe to say that
MENTAL WELL-BEING
It’s 2025 and lets not kid ourselves into not acknowledging that Mental Wellness is not an important aspect of our well-being. With companies like Adapt Wellness, Amaha, MindPeers, etc, mental wellness is nascent and yet to receive significant investment from startups willing to acknowledge its potential.Furthermore, the advent of AI has contributed to technological advancements being utilised by startups to provide support. Examples of this are: finding a therapist suiting one’s needs or AI chatbots that help guide the individual in taking the first step towards seeking support for their mental health.
GROWING D2C EXPERIENCES
With the rising costs of healthcare, India shows great promise of making a global impact with the solution to prolong the appearance of life impacting illnesses. The intention of preventative healthcare and wellness has made significant progress as clinics like “Dhun” (founded by Mira Rajput Kapoor) and “The Wellness Co.” (co- founded by Rishabh Jain and Rohit Jain) offer personalised therapy on a consultation basis. Another example is, Suniel Shetty aggressively investing in wellness based start-ups and witnessing luxury hotels like The Leela Palace Group having its own dedicated Wellness Programme known as “The Aujasya” that caters to one’s Indian roots.
While Wellness seems like a luxury even with the solutions around us, living our lives with more intention towards our well-being can take us in the right direction. The expedition of placing importance towards preventative healthcare, has allowed India to successfully hold approximately 15.2% of the market share in The Asia and Pacific Region as of 2025 when it comes to Ayurvedic Products keeping true to its roots. With a rapid growth rate of 4% by each year, India is certainly on track to make its impact on the global landscape as a rising power for wellness solutions and advanced technology.
