Jay Shetty, is a global bestselling author and award-winning podcast host, known for his inspirational content on social media platforms such as YouTube and Instagram. He gained popularity through his videos and podcasts, where he shares practical wisdom, mindfulness, and life advice, often drawing from his experiences as a monk and blending them with modern insights.
Recently, the life coach has come under scrutiny after The Guardian claimed he fabricated aspects of his life story and plagiarised several of his social media posts.
Shetty’s website claimed that he spent school vacations residing with monks in India, absorbing their wisdom. However, The Guardian alleges he falsely claimed to have spent three years in an Indian temple. Shetty has frequently shared his life’s journey on talk shows and in his popular books. He described experiencing a significant spiritual awakening during his time in business school in London, inspired by a lecture from Gauranga Das, a monk from Iskon.
Shetty asserted to have accompanied the monk to Mumbai and served him for years, but The Guardian reported inconsistencies. These include his age during pivotal events; he stated different ages, sometimes 18, other times 21 or 22, when attending Das’s talk. Shetty’s legal team and Das confirmed the talk occurred in 2007, making Shetty 19 at the time.
Moreover, Shetty’s associates, including a former girlfriend, stated that he was in Iskcon before meeting Das in 2007. “It doesn’t make sense,” The Guardian quoted Chaitanya Lila, a member of Iskcon who was in a romantic relationship with Shetty from June 2008 to December 2009, as saying. “He was in Iskcon before 2007.”
Several individuals familiar with Shetty’s situation stated that he didn’t spend as much time in India as he claims. Instead, they mentioned that he mostly stayed at Bhaktivedanta Manor near London, not in Mumbai. Das and Shetty’s legal team stated that he stayed there for just a few months before moving to India.
According to a travel blog kept by Shetty at the time, he referred to Bhaktivedanta as his main ashram. In a 2011 post, he mentioned returning from ‘almost four months in India’ before engaging in activities at London’s City University and participating in the distribution of flyers and books on UK streets, as well as enjoying festivals.
Jay Shetty’s rise to prominence began with his background as a former monk, which he often shares as part of his personal narrative. His collaborations with various brands and organisations have contributed to his widespread recognition, establishing him as a notable influencer in the digital space. Shetty has also launched his own tea brand named ‘Sama Tea’ along with his wife Radhi Devlukia-Shetty.
Jay Shetty was born and raised in London and graduated from the Cass Business School at the City, University of London. His journey began with creating YouTube videos, leading to hosting Huffpost Rise in New York in 2016. In 2019, he launched the successful podcast ‘On Purpose with Jay Shetty’ and interviewed notable figures like president Joe Biden, Michelle Obama, Tom Holland, Selena Gomez, Jennifer Lopez, Kobe Bryant etc.His books, ‘Think Like A Monk’ and ‘8 Rules of Love,’ have also gained widespread acclaim.
Additionally, Shetty founded the Jay Shetty Certification School, offering life coaching certificates, and became involved with the meditation startup Calm, reportedly valued at $2 billion, serving as its Chief Inspiration Officer. In 2022, Shetty officiated Jennifer Lopez’s wedding to Ben Affleck. Alongside his wife, Shetty has been active in philanthropy, raising over $5 million in 2020 for Give India. He co-founded the video production company Icon Media and, in 2023, founded House of 1212, a talent agency representing creators and innovators specialising in talent representation and brand partnerships.