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Shark Tank India Judges Challenge Influencer’s ‘Dr’ Title as Manoj Das Drops It From Instagram Bio

The viral exchange intensified scrutiny of health influencers’ credentials.

Overview

  • In Season 5’s opening episode aired January 5 and posted to YouTube on January 7, Lewisia Wellness founder Manoj Das introduced himself as a naturopath and aromatherapist using the title ‘Dr’.
  • Anupam Mittal questioned his right to use the title and called his content claims baseless, with Aman Gupta, Namita Thapar and Kunal Bahl also pressing him on qualifications and marketing.
  • Sharks challenged his business figures after he cited a 3.5 Amazon rating and about 50 reviews while claiming ₹5 crore in inventory sales and roughly ₹4 crore in profits.
  • Following online backlash, Das removed ‘Doctor’ from his Instagram bio, though his Facebook username still displays ‘Dr Manoj Das (Lewisia Wellness)’, according to reports.
  • Medical professionals joined the criticism, including AIIMS-trained neurologist Dr Rahul Chawla, who labeled him a ‘quack doctor’ and urged followers to verify influencers’ degrees.