No competition with Baba Ramdev says Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

After Baba Ramdev’s Patanjali Ayurved made headlines for highest selling wellness products, giving tough competition to leading FMCGs, Art of Living guru Sri Sri Ravi Shankar’ Ayurvedic products made equal sensation for its products.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, who promotes the Art of Living, has a host of products including Ayurvedic medicines, toothpaste, protein shampoos, herbal tea, anti-diabetic tablets, balms and syrups. The daily consumption of these goods is increasing via online, though plans are on the anvil to come out with brick and mortar stores soon.

In an exclusive conversation with Wellness India, The Art of Living Guru cleared air from the competition with Patanjali and ensured Sri Sri Ayurveda products maintain quality service only. Here is the edited excerpts:

When did you realize the need to offer apparels, wellness and personal care products?

It’s a part of many service projects we are having. We have our own Ayurveda unit. Every day, we do R&D and come out with some wonderful products.

Who is looking after the Ayurveda unit?

It’s the group of our people under the trust Sri Sri Ayurveda who are associated with it.

But it goes with your branding?

I can lend my branding no problem with that. If there is anything for quality I lend my name.

Baba Ramdev started it, what are your views?

It’s Ramdev’s style of functioning. I don’t find anything wrong about it.

Do you think Ramdev caters to lower middle class while you the upper middle class?

Well that’s up to you to say to whom we cater to. As far as we are concerned, we are in villages as well.

The idea of selling shampoo, how did that come from?

We are going herbal, we are talking about proper and healthy lifestyle, and it’s not a chemical thing we are using. When you go into health it is a holistic thing. It’s related with what you eat so we provide organic food. If you want to promote organic food, you have to promote all other personal care material like organic toothpaste and shampoo as well. It’s not done for commercial purpose; it is done for health, taste and philosophy. Personal care is connected to one’s healthy living.

So you will compete with Baba Ramdev?

I don’t compete with anybody for anything.