Exclusive: Shark Tank India 4’s 23-yr-old pitcher Isha Jhawar on how she battled health issues to launch her healthy product, says ‘I was on steroids at the age of 14’

Isha Jhawar, a 23-year-old entrepreneur, impressed the sharks on Shark Tank India 4 with her innovative healthy product, securing a deal from Anupam Mittal. In an exclusive conversation with Times of India TV, Isha opened up about her health struggles, revealing, “I was on steroids at the age of 14.” Battling severe health issues from a young age, she turned her challenges into motivation, building a brand focused on wellness and nutrition.

The experience was amazing as well. It was different. It was way of better than I had imagined, like I was a little nervous, but the way it went, it was awesome. I am already creating a lot of content on Instagram and I have a little bit expertise on speaking and being to the point. And when we decided that we will do the Instagram model on Shark Tank, I knew that I had to put up the important points in 60 seconds and then I practiced it a few times.

I had a lot of personal pain points and problems. So in my early 20s when I was growing up and it was all health issues related to food. I had PCOD when I was 13, my weight gain was like 12-13 kgs and my hemoglobin was six and I had to take steroids at that age which usually doctors doesn't prescribe until you're 18. I had to take that when I was 14 so that was a very challenging time.

From then on my parents would keep a lot of check on my diet, on my food on my health and this kept happening until I went to hostel and I was all by myself like a free bird. I thought I can do anything and given the situations you have at hostel and especially in Kota, the kind of oil and the kind of spice tolerance these guys have, it was insane and I couldn't bear that. So I would have throat burns and vomiting. I had kidney stones. When I came back my mom pointed out and she put her ban on everything. I started searching for healthier options and then I made it myself.

When you're young you need a lot of validation. From when I started since I couldn't crack IIT, I had a lot of baggage that what would I do in life. So I would register for grants and everything and I got a few grants. But whenever I would apply for any competition, in the India start-up ecosystem, if you are not from tech, you are sidelined. Even if you get selected, after they come to know it’s a food product, it’s not given importance. You don’t get the respect.

When Shark Tank India started, products like ours are given importance. It's the ultimate validation. So I always wanted to apply and I did try for season two but I guess I wasn’t ready, In season three I applied for Campus Founders but I didn’t get selected. In season 4, I applied again and I think I got in.

About Viraj, I was not intimidated. I knew that somewhere I won’t get a deal from him and if I do, we have a lot of conflict of interest so that would be one. As I said on the tank itself that his brand was not my competition. If you are eating outside, you can consume Veeba, but for home, you have to choose Repeat Gud looking at the long term perspective.

For me it was amazing. At the moment I entered, the way they were talking to me, I was very much eased out. I am from tier four city, for a lot of times, people didn’t understand my vision or what I am trying to say. After the episode aired, some people called my parents asking ‘why is your daughter in need of money?’ People don't understand it here, but being on the tank it felt that I'm in a room where I'm understood, where I'm heard. So I was very much at ease.

It's been great. They have been supporting me. In the deal, I had told Anupam that if I cross a certain revenue, the equity would be negotiated. And with 5 days of airing the revenue as increased 10X and I have crossed it.