'The numbers are scary': Zerodha's Nithin Kamath flags rising health threat few Indians talk about
Kamath links the rising health burden to poor-quality food, water, air, and lifestyles. “We’ve realised health issues among Indians have increased and will continue to increase,” he wrote.
- Sep 8, 2025,
- Updated Sep 8, 2025 4:31 PM IST
Zerodha co-founder Nithin Kamath is drawing attention to a health crisis few in India want to talk about, one that’s affecting millions, spreading silently, and still buried under stigma.
In a post on X, Kamath sounded the alarm over what he called a dangerously neglected health issue: sexual wellness. “The one important type of health we don’t talk about is sexual health — for obvious reasons. But the numbers are scary,” he wrote.
The data backs his concern. Male infertility now accounts for 50% of infertility cases in India — a dramatic shift from traditional assumptions. One in ten Indian men suffers from erectile dysfunction, with 40% of cases in men under 40. Meanwhile, 56% of Indian women report some form of sexual dysfunction, including painful intercourse — yet less than 30% of urban women are even aware of these conditions.
Even more concerning: India has one of the highest rates of untreated sexually transmitted infections globally, particularly among youth and migrant populations who face deep healthcare barriers.
Kamath links the rising health burden to poor-quality food, water, air, and lifestyles. “We’ve realised health issues among Indians have increased and will continue to increase,” he wrote.
In response, Zerodha has funded around 40 health-focused startups with patient capital. Two of them — Allo Health and Bold Care — now focus on transforming how India understands and treats sexual health.
“The conversation around sexual health has to change,” Kamath emphasized. His move aims to tackle the double burden of stigma and inaccessibility that keeps millions suffering in silence.
Zerodha co-founder Nithin Kamath is drawing attention to a health crisis few in India want to talk about, one that’s affecting millions, spreading silently, and still buried under stigma.
In a post on X, Kamath sounded the alarm over what he called a dangerously neglected health issue: sexual wellness. “The one important type of health we don’t talk about is sexual health — for obvious reasons. But the numbers are scary,” he wrote.
The data backs his concern. Male infertility now accounts for 50% of infertility cases in India — a dramatic shift from traditional assumptions. One in ten Indian men suffers from erectile dysfunction, with 40% of cases in men under 40. Meanwhile, 56% of Indian women report some form of sexual dysfunction, including painful intercourse — yet less than 30% of urban women are even aware of these conditions.
Even more concerning: India has one of the highest rates of untreated sexually transmitted infections globally, particularly among youth and migrant populations who face deep healthcare barriers.
Kamath links the rising health burden to poor-quality food, water, air, and lifestyles. “We’ve realised health issues among Indians have increased and will continue to increase,” he wrote.
In response, Zerodha has funded around 40 health-focused startups with patient capital. Two of them — Allo Health and Bold Care — now focus on transforming how India understands and treats sexual health.
“The conversation around sexual health has to change,” Kamath emphasized. His move aims to tackle the double burden of stigma and inaccessibility that keeps millions suffering in silence.