Latest news with #Himatsingka
Indian Express
4 days ago
- Business
- Indian Express
‘Food Pharmer' recalls Nithin Kamath's unexpected act of kindness during his toughest time: ‘It wasn't charity'
Influencer Revant Himatsingka, better known as the 'Food Pharmer', recently shared a heartfelt story about an unexpected gesture of kindness from Zerodha co-founder Nithin Kamath that came at a time when he needed it most. In a post on X, Himatsingka opened up about a difficult chapter in his life – he had left a steady job in the US, wasn't taking on any brand deals, and was overwhelmed by lawsuits, facing eight legal notices. He described himself as being 'nearly broke' and emotionally drained, grappling with self-doubt. It was during this low point, in December 2023, that he happened to meet Kamath at an event. Despite being strangers, Kamath made a surprising offer. 'Don't worry, if you need any financial help, let me know, I'll help out,' he told Himatsingka. When asked if he'd want equity in return, Kamath simply smiled and said, 'None. I don't want anything. I just want to support you.' The gesture left Himatsingka stunned. He hadn't expected such generosity from someone he'd never met. 'It wasn't charity. It was belief,' he said. 'Belief that doing the right thing is worth backing.' Though he chose not to accept the offer – wanting to build something sustainable on his own – he shared deep appreciation for Kamath's support. 'In a world obsessed with ROI, here was someone who reminded me that true wealth is in character… Forever grateful, Nithin,' he wrote. 'You didn't just offer me help. You inspired me.' When I was nearly broke, battling lawsuits, and questioning everything—Nithin Kamath offered to help me out. I had quit my job in the US, wasn't doing food brands deals, and I had 8 legal notices. That's when I met @Nithin0dha at an event in December 2023. He told me 'Don't… — Revant Himatsingka 'Food Pharmer' (@foodpharmer2) May 29, 2025 The post went viral and netizens took to the comments to react to it. A user wrote, 'This is what we want billionaires to do, support those who bring change.' Another user wrote, 'Let this be a reminder- the best investments are often those made in people, not just companies. Early belief shapes legacies.' A third person commented, 'He is single handedly going to be responsible for the golden age amazing capitalism help people become better.' A fourth person said, 'Food is primary to us, and tackling the processed food industry for us all is an enormous job and worthwhile one. Kudos.' Earlier this year, Himatsingka shared on social media that he had left behind a Rs 2 crore-a-year job in the United States to come back to India, driven by a mission 'to fight companies which are doing false marketing.' Over the past 18 months, he says he's rejected offers from countless food brands–some offering hefty payouts–because he didn't want to compromise on his values.
Hindustan Times
6 days ago
- Business
- Hindustan Times
‘It wasn't charity': FoodPharmer reveals how Nithin Kamath offered help at his lowest point
Revant Himatsingka, better known by his online moniker FoodPharmer, recently took to social media platform X to recount a powerful moment from his journey—when Zerodha co-founder Nithin Kamath offered him financial support during a personal and professional crisis, asking for nothing in return. Himatsingka, a health and nutrition influencer known for calling out unhealthy food marketing practices, revealed that in late 2023, he was battling multiple lawsuits and facing financial uncertainty after quitting his job in the US. 'I had quit my job in the US, wasn't doing food brand deals, and I had 8 legal notices,' he wrote. 'That's when I met @Nithin0dha at an event in December 2023.' The conversation that followed left him stunned. 'He told me, 'Don't worry, if you need any financial help, let me know, I'll help out,'' Himatsingka recalled. 'I asked him, 'How much equity would you want if you help me?' He smiled and said, 'None. I don't want anything. I just want to support you.'' Moved by the gesture, the influencer emphasized that the offer wasn't about charity—it was about belief. 'It wasn't charity. It was belief. Belief that doing the right thing is worth backing,' he wrote. 'In a world obsessed with ROI, here was someone who reminded me that true wealth is in character.' Though he ultimately didn't accept the money—opting instead to build a sustainable income stream—Himatsingka expressed his deep gratitude: 'You didn't just offer me help. You inspired me.' Himatsingka, earlier this year, took to social media to reveal that he had quit his ₹2 crore per annum job in the United States and returned to India 'to fight companies which are doing false marketing.' Over the last one and a half years, he claimed to have turned down hundreds of food brands, many of which offered him large sums of money. 'I've obviously said no to junk food promotions, but I've even said no to all clean food brands asking me to promote them,' he wrote on X. 'The money these companies offered could have changed my life,' he noted. However, he said his commitment to remaining 100% unbiased in his reviews led him to reject even the most lucrative offers. Quitting a high-paying job and shifting to content creation came with significant challenges. Himatsingka shared that for 14 months, he made no income. Also read: Mumbai job seeker claims 'intrusive' interviewer asked about family income, marriage plans 'After 14 months of making no money, my savings dried up and my legal costs increased. So I started doing a few non-food promotions. But I continued to say no to all food promotions, even though 95% of the deals I get are food-related,' he wrote on Instagram. He clarified that while he wasn't facing financial hardship, he was finding it difficult to grow his platform and broaden its influence. 'I want to make it clear that I'm not struggling financially and I am living a comfortable life. But I am struggling to scale our impact,' he posted. The relentless pace of work had also started to affect his mental health. In his posts, Himatsingka admitted, 'I am very burnt out.'
The Hindu
27-05-2025
- Health
- The Hindu
Why are ‘sugar boards' necessary in schools?
The story so far: In order to check the sugar intake of school-going children, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has instructed over 24,000 affiliated schools across India to establish 'sugar boards', where information is displayed for educating students about the risks of excessive sugar intake. What are 'sugar boards'? Two years ago, food influencer Revant Himatsingka appealed to schools through a video to start a 'sugar board' campaign, which involves a visual representation of the quantity of sugar contained in a bottle of aerated drink or packaged fruit juice. 'Children need to learn in fun and interesting ways the perils of consuming excess sugar. So, in Do It Yourself (DIY) workshops with school children, we ask the students to stick, say for instance bottles of aerated drinks, or packaged juices, [on a paper/white board] and adjacent to that stick the quantity of sugar in a packet and number of teaspoons of sugar that go into the product,' Mr. Himatsingka told The Hindu. For example, a 300 ml bottle of a popular aerated drink contains eight teaspoons of sugar, with one teaspoon of sugar being nearly four grams. Similarly, a popular brand of a 125 ml packaged mango drink contains five teaspoons of sugar. 'Sugar boards' provide essential information, including recommended sugar intake, the sugar content in commonly consumed foods (such as junk food and cold drinks), health risks associated with high sugar consumption and healthier dietary alternatives. The CBSE has stated that schools may submit a brief report and photos of the activity on 'sugar boards' till July 15. Mr. Himatsingka said that while many schools have already included 'sugar boards' in their activities, CBSE's directive will create awareness in nearly two crore students and their families. Why are 'sugar boards' necessary? The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has pushed for the introduction of a 'sugar board' in all schools, not only in those which are CBSE affiliated, but also in schools which are affiliated to various State boards. In a letter written to CBSE by NCPCR in March earlier this year, the child rights body emphasised, 'Over the past decade, there has been a significant increase in Type 2 Diabetes among children, a condition primarily seen in adults. This alarming trend is attributable to high sugar intake… easy availability of sugary snacks, beverages and processed foods within school environments,' the letter states. While population-based data on Type-2 diabetes among children and adolescents are unavailable from India, it is estimated that the incidence of Type 2 Diabetes in the group is 397 per lakh population, next only to China which has 734 estimated cases per lakh. Speaking with The Hindu, Dr. Divya Gupta, gynaecologist and a member of NCPCR, said, 'Studies indicate that sugar constitutes 13% of daily calorie intake for children aged 4 to 10 years and 15% of those aged 11 to 18 years —substantially exceeding the recommended limit of 5%.' What is India's regulatory stand? Official sources said that the Food Standards and Safety Authority of India (FSSAI) had convened a scientific panel of experts in April and May earlier this year, to decide on a High Fat, Salt and Sugar (HFSS) definition pertaining only to school meals. However, the FSSAI has still not set HFSS standards or finalised the 'health-star rating system', for front-of-pack labelling regulations. 'In the meeting, we could not arrive at definition for HFSS for what comprises a school meal. Discussions are underway and it was decided that the HFSS definition for what comprises school meals cannot be different from that of packaged food. So a holistic HFSS definition should be formulated,' an official said. Currently, FSSAI has regulation for brands making food claims. For instance, a low sugar claim can only be made if a product contains not more than five gm sugar per 100 gm. 'While there are regulations in place for making claims on packaged food, FSSAI has not fixed cut-offs for High Fat, Salt, Sugar consumption for the Indian population,' the official said. India currently relies on World Health Organization (WHO) cut-offs for ideal HFSS intake. For instance, WHO guidelines restrict daily sugar intake in adults and children to 25 grams (six teaspoons). However, experts argue that the Indian cut-off should be lower, and should be derived from indigenous data, as the genetic make-up of Indians make them more prone to heart attacks. 'We need epidemiological data, through a country wide study which monitors dietary intake, along with variables like data on Body Mass Index, insulin resistance, lipid profile, biochemical parameters and so on,' said an expert closely working with FSSAI on the issue. What next? Dr. Gupta said that the child rights body is working on gradually introducing directives for foods high in salt and trans-fats as well. 'NCPCR is also gathering data on children suffering from diabetes from government hospitals. We will be talking to parents during parent teacher meetings about the importance of healthy eating. We have had stakeholder meetings with paediatric doctors who will be roped in to go to schools for workshops and so on. Introducing 'sugar boards' is just the beginning,' Dr. Gupta said.
Hindustan Times
25-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Food Pharmer had planned to wear his 8 legal notices to Cannes, but then…
Influencer Revant Himatsingka, aka the Food Pharmer, had planned to attend the Cannes Film Festival in France, but decided at the last minute to shelve his trip. In social media posts shared two days ago, the influencer did give a glimpse of the outfit he had planned to wear at Cannes - a formal blazer set which incorporated the eight legal notices he has received from various food giants for his videos. Revant Himatsingka is known for his Instagram videos where he exposes the dark patterns in marketing pre-packaged food. The Indian health and nutrition influencer is best known for his efforts to expose misleading marketing practices in the food industry and promote health literacy among consumers. This, of course, has made him unpopular with many companies, and Himatsingka has been hit with several lawsuits over his videos. The influencer's Cannes outfit had included a nod to his past legal troubles. The Food Pharmer revealed that the sleeves of his outfit had sleeves 'made from 8 real legal notices sent by food giants to me.' Across the jacket, he printed the nutrition label of a drink that claims to make children grow taller. The back had one line embroidered onto it: 'Label Padhega Duniya (The world will read labels).' Himatsingka explained that the goal of his Cannes outfit was to raise awareness about the importance of reading nutrition labels. 'Most social movements from western countries to India. Very rarely do we see a social movement spread from India to the world. My goal with Cannes was to take 'Label Padhega India' movement global and make it into 'Label Padhega Duniya',' he explained. However, the escalating tension between India and Pakistan made Himatsingka reconsider his trip to France. Just 24 hours before he was supposed to fly out, the influencer decided to shelve his plans. 'We had spent months on the visa, outfit, travel etc, but it didn't take time to make the decision to not go! Cannes can wait. The country will come first,' he wrote on LinkedIn.
