In March, Shark Tank India judge, entrepreneur, and Emcure Pharmaceuticals Executive Director Namita Thapar posted a video outlining the health benefits of namaz. The post triggered online backlash, and Namita has now responded to the criticism, stating that she has been subjected to abuse for the last three weeks while also clarifying her position.
Namita Thapar responds to trolls targeting her over a video discussing the health benefits of Namaz
On Monday, Namita posted a video on X responding to the backlash over her Namaz video. She said, "For the past three weeks, people have been continuously calling me a prostitute and hurling filthy abuses at my beloved mother. For what reason? Just because I made a reel about the health benefits of Namaz? I am a healthcare professional. I have created numerous reels on Hindu practices and their health benefits… every Yoga Day, I post videos on asanas, especially Surya Namaskar, and no one objected then."
She said, "I was taught that ‘R for Religion’ stands for ‘R for Respect’—is this what respect looks like, especially towards women? When the reservation bill did not pass, everyone raised their voice, but when women are treated with such disrespect, why is there silence? I learned long ago that no one will stand up for you; you must speak up for yourself. So, to all my trolls, go on, but remember that Hinduism believes in the concept of karma, and I am a proud Hindu."
She ended by saying, "Go on as you wish, but remember that God is watching all of you. And to all the proud, educated Hindus who believe that religion stands for respect, especially towards women: many of my negative reels have gone viral—now make this one go viral as well."
She explained in the caption that she had left for Bombay at 6:30 am and briefly paused at 7 am to film the reel, noting that she has realised staying silent is not a virtue and that one must speak out against disrespect. She stated that people should raise their voices against anything that infringes on basic human rights and clarified that although she has grown accustomed to personal trolling over the past five years since Shark Tank India, the aim of her video was to encourage Indians to speak up whenever they see wrongdoing, out of both humanity and patriotism. She concluded her message with the words “Jai Hind”.
Reasons behind the backlash against Namita Thapar
In the video being discussed, Namita highlighted the health advantages of performing namaz. She referred to it as a complete physical workout that boosts flexibility, supports the health of joints and knees, and improves blood circulation. She further mentioned that its repetitive, meditative nature positively impacts mental well-being. She also pointed out that the Vajrasana posture, which is included in namaz, helps with digestion and offers a break from everyday stress. Despite this, some social media users criticised the entrepreneur for talking about the health benefits of namaz.