Fifteen years ago she started India’s first spa magazine when the concept of spa and wellness was in a nascent stage. And today, the name Parineeta Sethi is counted amongst the known wellness experts. Sethi has organised a Fit & Fab show, a session on Wellness and fitness industry at Shangri-La’s- Eros Hotel, today.Sethi was always a wellness buff and knew that wellness as an industry will grow exponentially. “World over spas were becoming a rage, but in India they were just about coming up.
So, I thought why not work on an industry which is at a nascent stage but will definitely grow and also contribute my bit to the industry and work towards helping it grow. And see how it has grown! I feel it’s always better to be the first mover,” says Sethi.“When I started out, it was considered a luxury, only urban women were interested in it and it was the older, over 35-year-old women, who focused on their wellness. But today it is no longer a luxury rather it has percolated to the smaller cities.
Men are as interested in spas and wellness as are women. The younger people are adopting it into their lifestyle. Wellness today is all pervasive,” she adds.The exponential growth story of the Indian wellness industry can be understood better with these facts presented by a report by FICCI and EY, which states that the industry was estimated at close to `85,000 crores in the financial year 2014-15, is set to achieve about `1.5 trillion by FY20.
Breaking myths of what actually defines wellness, Sethi says, “Holistic wellness is the way forward. The idea of wellness isn’t just about going to the spas, or working out at a gym, or doing a particular thing. It needs to and gradually is being looked at in a holistic capacity. It requires a lifestyle change and the adaptation of wellness practices as a part of your everyday lifestyle.
Spas play an important role in this revolution, and they are being more inclusive of all wellness practices in their offerings. Wellness spa experiences now include aspects like reiki, kinesiology, naturopathy, aura healing, theta healing, colour and sound therapy, and much more. Also, preventive healthcare is a big trend that people are yet to realise.”
For Sethi, a fit body along with a healthy mind is the most important aspect. And the core of well-being lies on the balance between the mind and body. Taking this idea forward, her Fit & Fab Show is all about helping people achieve wellness in their daily life. “The day begins with expert sessions on nutrition, health, beauty, fitness and mental health, followed by an evening gala that felicitates the fittest and most fabulous people from Delhi, from all walks of life and from across all age groups. I must point out here that while we are felicitating someone who is as young as 21 years, we are also felicitating someone who is a grandmother,” says she.
The pioneer of the wellness industry started her career with the HCL Group 25 years ago as a sales trainee. After working hard for four years, she became the branch manager of the Delhi office. “I took a break after that to get married and start my family. Two kids and four years later, I bounced right back to business,” she says.
She joined Pinnacle Connect in February 2019. Brimming with ideas and plans, she is all set to start a new inning with Pinnacle Connect. “I am all set to launch GlobalSpa India magazine and have plans to take GlobalSpa to the Middle East and South East Asia soon. An e-commerce site called www.wellnessmatters.in is also in the testing stages and will be launched soon. A TV show on wellness is also on the cards,” says she.