Wholeleaf is one of India’s fastest-growing medically oriented natural pain therapeutics companies, focused on developing safe, effective, and long-term solutions for chronic and neuropathic pain management.
Founded in 2021 and headquartered in Gurgaon, Wholeleaf is among the early licensed and compliant entrants in India’s cannabinoid-based pain therapeutics segment. The company operates within the country’s regulatory framework to develop high-quality, medically informed formulations designed to address the large and underserved chronic pain market.
Under Shivraj Sharma’s leadership, Wholeleaf has emerged as one of the highest revenue-generating companies in its category and is now approaching profitability while maintaining strong growth. The company has served over 100,000 customers across India and continues to build a rapidly expanding base of repeat users and patient advocates.
Of course, ingredients such as cannabis or hemp carry a degree of stigma. Rather than trying to change deeply held perceptions overnight, we chose to meet people where they already had trust. India has a rich history of using herbal medicine, so we focused on educating patients and doctors about evidence-based natural therapeutics through the lens of Ayurveda and modern science. We spoke about Vijaya—an herb with a long history in Ayurvedic medicine—and combined that with the growing body of global clinical research supporting its therapeutic potential.
That approach shifted the conversation away from the ingredient itself and towards what truly matters: helping people manage chronic pain more effectively and improving their quality of life. “I believe that’s why our message has resonated with both patients and healthcare professionals,” he says.
Chronic pain is one of the largest unmet healthcare needs globally, and India has a long-standing tradition of using natural and herbal medicines. The real challenge was understanding where we could create the greatest impact.
“When we started, we explored multiple therapeutic applications before realising that chronic pain was where both patients and healthcare professionals were actively seeking better solutions. That insight led us to sharpen our focus and specialise in natural pain therapeutics rather than trying to be everything to everyone,” he says.
India has centuries of knowledge in natural medicine, while modern science has given us powerful tools to validate, refine and improve therapeutic approaches. “I believe the future lies in responsibly bringing these two worlds together to develop solutions that can benefit patients not just in India, but globally. Through Wholeleaf, we’re committed to educating both patients and healthcare professionals on integrative approaches to pain management and contributing to a more informed healthcare ecosystem,” he says.
Read the full story that first appeared in The Global Indian here:
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