How wellness in India became a flex, a status symbol, and a new way of life

The pilates girl is cooler than the gym bro, almond-milk matcha is a lifestyle flex, and wellness therapy lounges are the new salons. The era of wellness in India is here.

A 2024 report from Kantar analysing Google Trends reveals just how dramatically wellness in India has surged. It recorded 26.6 million searches on wellness, a whopping 39 per cent jump from 2023. Collagen and mushroom coffee are appearing on café menus, cryotherapy and LED therapy become weekend rituals, and 5-am running clubs are replacing late nights. Wellness isn’t a side note anymore, it’s becoming the centrepiece of how young Indians want to live. 

From fringe to flex: The rise of wellness in India

The Indian wellness sector has witnessed significant growth in the past few years. Valued at $100 billion in 2018, the Indian wellness market touched $156 billion in 2024, and is expected to tap a revenue worth $256.9 billion by 2033, at a compound annual growth rate of 5.3 per cent. For a market where adoption was once a challenge, and wellness in India was often treated as a non-topic, these numbers signal a decisive shift. 

“For centuries, India has been the cradle of wellness via Ayurveda. But somewhere along the way, we began to view these traditions as alternatives rather than foundational. The pace of urban life, the dominance of Western medicine, and the rise of quick fixes overshadowed slow, preventive, and holistic healing. But, the post-pandemic world reshaped our priorities,” shares Mira Kapoor, who founded Dhun to close the wellness solutions gap she was struggling with as a consumer. “Today, we look at health not as the absence of illness, but as the presence of vitality. Rising stress levels, sedentary work habits, and burnout have made wellness essential.” 

“SOCIAL MEDIA HAS PLAYED A VITAL ROLE IN MAKING NUTRITION MORE VISIBLE, MORE ACCESSIBLE, AND STARTED COMMUNITY-WIDE CONVERSATIONS,” SHE SHARES” –– Sophia Kohli

Market predictions echo Kapoor’s sentiment. While the estimated number of members and inflation rates will remain mostly unchanged over the next two decades, per capita income and the proportion of people spending on wellness products and services are set to rise sharply.

Cultural shifts and generational change are driving the wellness boom in India 

A wellness-centric lifestyle was once innate to India. Over the years, it was reduced to a cultural concept found mostly in texts. “Wellness slipped off the radar after our grandparents’ generation. Through the 1980s and ’90s, most Indian families were focused on survival and progress—getting a good job, buying a car, sending kids to good schools. Self-care wasn’t part of the vocabulary; it was seen as a luxury. Simultaneously, rapid urbanisation and changing lifestyles meant people became less active and less connected to traditional routines. Our diets changed, but the level of physical activity didn’t match that change,” says Mihir Jogh, a yoga specialist and Ayurveda therapist. 

The same factors that once pushed wellness into the background are now bringing it back into the mainstream. A generational and cultural shift in how health is perceived is at the heart of this transition. Moving away from the binary focus on s disease treatments, younger Indians are embracing the grey space that prioritises self-care, wellbeing, and holistic healthcare.

According to Mintel India’s Consumer Spending Priorities Reports for 2022 and 2023, spending on wellness in India rose by 7 to 9 per cent among young women in just one year. Globally, 56 per cent of Gen Z rank wellness as a “very high priority,” and in India, 33 per cent of Gen Z  are actively reevaluating their lifestyle choices. 

“THE MORE AFFLUENT AND AMBITIOUS PEOPLE BECOME, THE BUSIER, MORE STRESSED, AND MORE DISCONNECTED FROM THEIR OWN BODIES THEY ARE. AND THAT’S THE PERFECT SWEET SPOT FOR MARKETERS” –– Nidhi Bhanshali Pandya 

The influx of social media and the internet is undeniable. Increased awareness around everything from mental health to women’s reproductive health has empowered young Indians to make informed choices, challenge misinformation, and demand better solutions. “I post a lot of techniques and tips on social media, which makes information accessible at practically no added costs. Plus, it also serves as a platform for discovery—studios, retreats, credible experts, events, and brands,” shares Anshuka Parwani, founder of Anshuka Yoga.

Through HUMM, an organisation dedicated to women’s healthcare at work, founder Carina Kohli has noticed an increase in open conversations around otherwise taboo subjects like hormone health, fertility support, postpartum care, mental health, and menopause care. “Young women are increasingly prioritising themselves and investing in everyday healthcare and wellness,” says Kohli.  

Nutrition and health expert Sophia Kohli has also noticed a change in consumer behaviour. More people are reading labels, leaning towards whole foods when buying packaged foods, and choosing options with fewer ingredients. “Social media has played a vital role in making nutrition more visible, more accessible, and started community-wide conversations,” she shares. 

Kapoor acknowledges that while social media can promote unrealistic ideals of performative wellness, it has democratised access. “People are learning about gut health, sleep hygiene, and recovery tools they wouldn’t have encountered otherwise.” Jogh adds, “People discover wellness practices through Instagram, YouTube, and even WhatsApp. Information—from yoga videos to health tips—travels fast. You can learn from teachers across the world and find communities that support your goals, which inspires others to take the first step.”

Rising disposable incomes are another key driver. According to Mintel, the proportion of Indian consumers spending monthly on health and wellness increased from 28 per cent in 2022 to 41 per cent in 2023, indicating a deepening consumer engagement with wellness products and services. Elizabeth Issac of Gunam Beauty says, “There’s been a significant rise in the sales of our ingestible products, as more people are understanding the connection between inner wellness and outer beauty. Our offerings have become staples because they’re clean, versatile, and rooted in traditional ingredients, but designed for modern lifestyles.”

How wellness in India became a status symbol

From being dismissed as futile to now a marker of wealth and luxury, wellness in India has undergone a complete transformation. Most wellness products and services today are designed for maximum visibility. They’re as much about aesthetics as they are about health. 

“Wellness has turned into a new kind of luxury badge,” says Nidhi Bhanshali Pandya, a US-based Ayurvedic doctor and author, Your Body Knows. “The irony is that the more affluent and ambitious people become, the busier, more stressed, and more disconnected from their own bodies they are. And that’s the perfect sweet spot for marketers, selling calm to the overworked, rest to the restless, and simplicity to those living complex lives.” Deloitte’s findings back this up: India’s top ten cities (including Mumbai, Delhi, and Bengaluru), despite being home to just 31 per cent of fitness facilities nationwide, contribute to 56 per cent of the country’s wellness revenue.

The resurgence of Ayurveda is deeply tied to its rebranding online. “I see a renewed sense of pride in our traditions and culture,” says Kapoor. Isaac points to the  renewed appreciation for traditional ingredients like turmeric, adaptogens, and functional foods reframed in modern, accessible ways. Beauty editor and author Vasudha Rai adds that the westernisation of Indian traditions has also influenced their revival at home. “Wellness and Ayurveda are unquestionably the new currency of cool. Take yoga, for example; the moment the West picked it up, we went back to it.” 

Jogh sees this mainstreaming as a net positive. “I don’t think that’s necessarily a bad thing. Even if people start because it’s trending, they stay because they actually feel better. The hook might be the aesthetic, but the transformation is real.” Sohrab Khushrushahi, founder, Sohfit, agrees, “The people who stick with it eventually stop chasing trends; they keep up because they feel better, recover faster, or just want energy to keep pace with life.”

The gentrification of Ayurveda and wellness has also led to the rise of spaces that provide end-to-end wellness solutions—from nutrition consultations and cryotherapy to LED beds and Shirodhara. Brands like Dhun Wellness, The Wellness Co, and Kosa Wellbeing exemplify this shift. Wellness tourism is booming too: valued at approximately $25.8 billion in 2022, wellness tourism in India is expected to reach $81.9 billion by 2030, at a CAGR of 15.6 per cent. Properties like Ananda in the Himalayas, Atmantan, Dharana, and Six Senses Vana are shaping this trend further. “When wellness therapies and tourism come at a certain price tag, they become exclusive,” cites Parwani, suggesting how premium wellness indulgences inadvertently become status symbols for most people.

“WE’RE MOVING TOWARDS A MODEL OF PREVENTIVE LONGEVITY THAT BLENDS THE ANCIENT WITH THE ADVANCED” –– Mira Kapoor 

“When people see gyms, boutique studios, wellness cafés, or recovery lounges popping up, it makes wellness tangible and accessible,” says Khushrushahi.  “It creates curiosity, and makes people want to try, explore, and understand what works for them.” Bhashali Pandya, however, warns of a potential downside. “Wellness is increasingly being packaged as something exclusive or expensive. The subtle message being reinforced is that true wellbeing requires luxury spas, elaborate retreats, or imported supplements, when, in fact, it has always been meant to be simple, accessible, and personal.”

Longevity trends are reshaping the future of wellness in India

Leading a longer life has always been considered a matter of pride, but was rarely pursued intentionally. Now, longevity has become the new frontier of the wellness industry in India.

When Bryan Johnson’s extreme blueprint for longevity went viral, it sparked skepticism, and then a movement. In 2024, global Google searches for “biohacking” surged by 900 per cent. A 2024 Global Longevity Study report found that 55 per cent of Indians want to live forever, compared to 37 per cent globally. Furthermore, over 70 per cent of Indians are willing to adopt a holistic approach to wellness to extend their lifespan in healthy and intentional ways. . 

Luxury today is all about longevity, believes Kapoor. “True wellness isn’t about spa days or supplements; it’s about sustained energy, emotional clarity, and cellular recovery.” Jogh observes that the motivation has shifted from “I need to fix this” to “I want to feel better and stay healthy.” Kapoor concurs, “Our guests no longer come to treat a symptom; they come to build resilience. We’ve also seen a growing interest in data-led personalisation. Guests want to understand why they feel a certain way and how they can sustain change.”

The global longevity market is growing rapidly; valued at $21.3 billion in 2024, it is poised to expand to $63 billion by 2035, at a 13.5 per cent CAGR. Longevity and wellness go hand-in-hand, as both focus on health optimisation in a sustained manner through a holistic approach. 

The future of wellness in India: accessible, intentional and deeply cultural

A major cultural shift is unfolding in how wellness in India is being embraced by generations. Younger Indians are  championing a culture of sustained wellness through run clubs, marathons, state-of-the-art wellness therapies, and day-to-day movement. Older generations, with a greater spending power, are seeking wellness retreats, therapies, and wearable technology as lifestyle staples than luxuries. 

Integration is at the heart of this evolution. Kapoor notes that people turn to Dhun because it blends Ayurveda with analytics. “We’re moving towards a model of preventive longevity that blends the ancient with the advanced. In the coming years, I see more people embracing in-city wellness sanctuaries that make longevity and wellness accessible, and not escapism.” Isaac predicts that the next wave of wellness products will include more functional foods, biotech-driven nutrition, and brands built around transparency and traceability.  “It’s key for brands to modernise without losing authenticity in order to make these practices relevant, aspirational, and sustainable for the next generation of consumers,” says Issac.  

“We’re already seeing concepts like gut health, sleep optimisation, supplements, health tracking, digital detox, wellness travels, hydration, and movement—all easy and sustainable practices becoming commonplace,” says Parwani. “An integrative approach only fortifies the movement.”

Yet statistics show that wellness in India is just beginning to realise its potential. Of the country’s 956 million people aged 18–62, only 15 per cent of physically active individuals engage in paid fitness activities. This indicates enormous growth potential through community-based and affordable fitness models, according to Deloitte. “This is both the biggest challenge and the biggest opportunity. For the industry to unlock its true potential, it must go beyond metros and premium customers to design inclusive, affordable, and community-driven fitness models that can reach smaller towns, women, and lower-income households,” says Pravin Govindu, partner at Deloitte India. “The next wave of growth will not only be about opening more facilities, but about converting this vast inactive population into active participants through innovation, digital integration, and corporate wellness programmes.”

Jogh agrees that only a small percentage of Indians are actively part of the wellness movement currently—mostly urban, educated, and upper-middle-class. “But over the next 10 years, this will change massively. With pollution, stress, and lifestyle-related illnesses on the rise, wellness will soon move from being a luxury to being a necessity.” Carina Kohli has already observed the shift at workplaces. “The language of self-care is a part of one’s everyday vocabulary now. Health and wellness are moving from being a ‘nice to have’ benefit to being a part of a company’s DNA and culture. As burnout, stress, and attrition rise, corporates are realising that well-being drives retention, talent and innovation.”

Will the consumerism of wellness in India rival fashion and beauty?

Could the consumerism of wellness products and services ever rival  that of fashion and beauty? Kapoor believes it could,  because wellness champions consciousness rather than passive consumption. Rai, however is sceptical, “Wellness is becoming what beauty became in India a few years ago. Having said that, I don’t think its consumption can surpass that of beauty and fashion. That’s because wellness takes discipline.” She adds, “Wellness demands regularity, discipline and knowledge, which is tougher than a simple passive practice of shopping at Sephora. Perhaps, that’s also why it’s become such a flex.”

Currently, the status quo of wellness in India may be influenced by viral trends and celebrity routines; but a deeper socio-cultural movement is underway. As life gets busier and lonelier, people are seeking integrative and community-driven solutions that prioritse sustenance over short-term fixes.. The shift towards wellness in India is not just about products or services; it’s a redefinition of how Indians understand health, success, and longevity. It is rooted in ancient knowledge yet propelled by cutting-edge science; driven by social media yet grounded in deeply personal choices. As the industry matures, its future will depend on how well it can balance aspiration with accessibility and tradition with innovation. What is clear is that wellness in India is no longer a luxury. It is a cultural movement reshaping how India lives, breathes, and aspires.