Zomato founder Deepinder Goyal who has recently forayed into the health-tech space with Temple has lashed out at the ongoing criticism of his maiden consumer product, saying it is not made for Indians – even if an Indian startup is making it. Rather, he is pitching Temple for global markets expecting not more than 1 per cent sales coming from India possibly because of its eye-watering price of Rs 85,000.

Temple is currently available for pre-orders with shipping slated to start some time in 2027.In a long X post, Goyal responded to the critique – mostly by doctors – saying, “Temple is not made for India. It’s made for the world.” He also pushed back against people who believe the device is too expensive.

Goyal said a lot of work had gone into developing Temple and that the company had priced it according to what it believes the product is worth. He suggested that those unsure about its value could wait for user reviews before deciding to buy it.Taking a jab at the critics, he wrote, “Please do not support us because we are an Indian startup.

We want to compete globally. We don’t need/want nationalist support.”Goyal has also sought to clarify that Temple is “strictly a fitness + AI device” and not a medical product.

He also stressed that Temple is not proven to diagnose or prevent any disease and does not replace the need to visit a doctor. On the question of scientific evidence, Goyal said people could wait until peer-reviewed research becomes available before deciding whether to buy the device. "You are free to sit on the fence until peer reviewed proof arrives.

You are free to not believe it even then," he wrote.Expanding on the product’s capabilities, Goyal revealed that, “The main point of Temple is Entropy,” and not BrainFlow, the term being widely circulated on the internet though it is also because Temple has itself been promoting it as one of the USPs. On the lines of clearing things, Goyal has also – now – introduced a new term called Roomdeaf AI essentially pushing the device as a companion device built with privacy in mind.

Image credit: X |@deepigoyal Image credit: X |@deepigoyal Image credit: X |@deepigoyal “Social media is not the regulator for Temple,” he added, saying the company would obtain regulatory clearances wherever required.Why Temple has drawn criticismTemple is a small wearable device that sticks to the side of the head. The company claims its optical sensors track physiological signals associated with blood flow in the brain.

Its BrainFlow feature is designed to monitor changes in cerebral blood flow, while Entropy, which Goyal says is Temple's main feature, is yet to be explained in detail.However, not everyone is convinced about the science behind it. Reputed doctors like Cyriac Abby Philips, a hepatologist popularly known as The Liver Doc on X, has been a notable critique questioning the authenticity of the device.

He has questioned whether a sensor placed near the temple can actually measure blood flow inside the brain. He has also raised concerns about the research methodology and the lack of peer-reviewed evidence supporting Temple's claims.- Ends