Rajshree Upadhyaya | Business Remedies | To reduce hair fall, nourish the scalp, and promote natural hair growth, Nidhi Tuteja Dua created the Ayurvedic hair care brand Grandmaa Secret and carved a distinct place for herself in the market. When Nidhi experienced severe hair fall during the pandemic, the solution didn’t come from a salon shelf or a doctor’s prescription bottle, but from memory. Like many Indian households, her family had relied for generations on traditional hair oils made by slowly cooking herbs with patience and care.
What began as a personal effort to restore her own hair health soon revealed something deeper. As results became visible, friends, relatives, and neighbours started asking for the oil. This quiet validation sparked the idea that her grandmother’s remedy could help many more people.
Grandmaa Secret was founded in 2023 in Gurugram, Haryana. Nidhi started the brand along with her husband Rajat Dua and her mother-in-law Rajni Dua, making it a unique family venture driven by lived experience rather than market trends. Rajni Dua brought authenticity and discipline rooted in Ayurvedic practices, ensuring the formulations stayed true to their origins. Rajat contributed his understanding of branding and digital growth, while Nidhi emerged as the voice and vision behind the company, transforming her personal journey into a purpose-driven business.
The backbone of the brand is its hero product, the 13 Herbs Hair Oil, formulated with traditional Ayurvedic ingredients such as amla, bhringraj, hibiscus, curry leaves, fenugreek, neem, and castor oil, infused in coconut oil. Positioned as a chemical-free option in a category crowded with heavily marketed solutions, the product received immediate and organic customer response, driven largely by word-of-mouth and visible results rather than advertising spend.
Staying Rooted in Simplicity
As demand grew, Grandmaa Secret expanded beyond a single product to develop a broader hair care range, including herbal shampoo, natural conditioner, scalp scrub, and select hair care accessories designed to support a complete Ayurvedic hair routine. Despite this expansion, the brand retained its focus on simplicity. It avoided overcomplicated formulations and continued using familiar ingredients commonly found in Indian households. This consistency helped Grandmaa Secret stand apart as a trust-based brand rather than one chasing trends.
A major milestone in the company’s journey came in 2025, when it appeared on Shark Tank India Season 4. Seeking an investment of Rs. 70 lakh for 2 percent equity, the founders shared their story with confidence and emotional honesty. One of the most talked-about moments of the pitch occurred when Nidhi and Rajat drank a small quantity of their hair oil on camera to demonstrate its purity and the absence of harmful chemicals. While some sharks expressed concerns about differentiation and scalability in the highly competitive hair oil market, the founders’ belief in their product left a strong impression.
Building a Presence in India’s Ayurvedic Hair Care Market
After deliberation, Anupam Mittal offered Rs. 70 lakh for 5 percent equity along with a 1 percent royalty until the investment amount was recovered, valuing the company at approximately Rs. 14 crore. The deal provided not only capital but also strategic mentorship, helping the founders refine their business model and prepare for sustainable growth beyond television exposure.
Post Shark Tank, Grandmaa Secret gained nationwide recognition and saw a surge in customer demand. Orders expanded from local circles to cities across India, requiring the brand to scale operations while maintaining quality control. Manufacturing moved into a more organised setup, and digital channels became the central hub for customer engagement. After the initial spike, reviews and repeat purchases played a crucial role in sustaining momentum.
By 2026, Grandmaa Secret is operating actively and growing steadily within India’s Ayurvedic hair care market. By staying rooted in tradition while adapting to modern consumer expectations, the brand demonstrates how family knowledge, combined with thoughtful execution, can build a trusted and long-lasting consumer business.
