New Delhi | January 7, 2026
Shark Tank India Season 5 judges are back on Sony Entertainment Television and Sony LIV from 5 January 2026, with the biggest investor panel the show has seen so far.
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The new season brings together returning sharks and six new investors, making it a major talking point in India’s startup and business ecosystem.
Shark Tank India continues to be a key launchpad for Indian startups, with founders from metro cities and Tier-2/Tier-3 towns pitching for funding, mentorship and national visibility.
Returning Shark Tank India Season 5 Judges
These are the returning Shark Tank India Season 5 judges and the companies they represent.
- Aman Gupta – boAt Lifestyle – boat-lifestyle.com
Co-founder of boAt, one of India’s largest audio and wearables brands with over ₹3,000 crore revenue in FY25 and a leading share in the personal audio market. - Namita Thapar – Emcure Pharmaceuticals – emcure.com
Executive Director at Emcure, a Pune-based pharma company with strong presence in gynecology, cardiology, oncology and exports to 70+ countries. - Peyush Bansal – Lenskart – lenskart.com
Founder and CEO of Lenskart, India’s leading omnichannel eyewear retailer with 2,700+ stores and a multi-billion-dollar IPO in the works. - Vineeta Singh – SUGAR Cosmetics – sugarcosmetics.com
Co-founder and CEO of SUGAR, a ₹500+ crore makeup brand with 45,000+ retail touchpoints across 550+ Indian cities. - Anupam Mittal – Shaadi.com (People Group) – shaadi.com
Founder of Shaadi.com, one of India’s oldest internet brands, serving Indians in India and the global diaspora with a freemium matrimony model. - Ritesh Agarwal – OYO Rooms – oyorooms.com
Founder of OYO, a hospitality and travel-tech company that partners with hotels and homes across India and overseas, recently reporting over ₹600 crore profit in FY25. - Amit Jain – CarDekho Group – cardekho.com
CEO and co-founder of CarDekho, an auto-tech platform helping Indians research, finance and insure vehicles, with strong growth and IPO plans underway. - Kunal Bahl – Titan Capital / Snapdeal – titancapital.in
Co-founder of Snapdeal and managing partner at Titan Capital, which has backed more than 200 startups across India’s consumer internet, fintech and D2C ecosystem.
New Shark Tank India Season 5 Judges and Their Brands
The new Shark Tank India Season 5 judges add strong representation from renewable energy, FMCG, skincare, healthcare and aviation.
- Hardik Kothiya – Rayzon Solar – rayzonsolar.com
Founder of Rayzon Solar, a Gujarat-based solar panel manufacturer that has grown its PV module capacity from 40 MW to around 1.5 GW, serving utility and rooftop projects. - Mohit Yadav – Minimalist – beminimalist.co
Co-founder of Minimalist, a science-backed skincare brand built on radical transparency and active-ingredient-led formulations, now a ₹300+ crore D2C success. - Viraj Bahl – Veeba – veeba.in
Founder of Veeba, an Indian FMCG company that began as a B2B supplier to QSR chains before building a strong B2C sauces and condiments brand across 700+ towns. - Shaily Mehrotra – Fixderma – fixderma.com
Founder and CEO of Fixderma, a dermatology-led skincare and cosmeceutical company offering prescription and OTC products for acne, pigmentation and sun care in India and overseas. - Kanika Tekriwal – JetSetGo – jetsetgo.in
Founder of JetSetGo, a private aviation marketplace often called the “Uber of the skies”, aggregating and operating private jets and helicopters for charters across India.
Why the Shark Tank India Season 5 Judges Line-up Matters in 2026
The upgraded list of Shark Tank India Season 5 judges signals a shift towards profitable, operations-heavy and manufacturing-led businesses in India’s startup ecosystem. With founders from sectors like renewable energy, pharma, FMCG and aviation sitting alongside D2C and internet veterans, Season 5 is expected to inspire entrepreneurs from both major metros and emerging startup hubs across India.
Follow Best Startup India for more information on the companies and founders who are transforming our nation.
FAQs on Shark Tank India Season 5 Judges
Q1. Who are the judges in Shark Tank India Season 5?
The Shark Tank India Season 5 judges include Aman Gupta (boAt), Namita Thapar (Emcure Pharmaceuticals), Peyush Bansal (Lenskart), Vineeta Singh (SUGAR Cosmetics), Anupam Mittal (Shaadi.com), Ritesh Agarwal (OYO), Amit Jain (CarDekho) and Kunal Bahl (Titan Capital/Snapdeal), along with new sharks Hardik Kothiya (Rayzon Solar), Mohit Yadav (Minimalist), Viraj Bahl (Veeba), Shaily Mehrotra (Fixderma) and Kanika Tekriwal (JetSetGo).
Q2. When did Shark Tank India Season 5 start?
Shark Tank India Season 5 started on 5 January 2026 on Sony Entertainment Television and Sony LIV.
Q3. Where can I watch Shark Tank India Season 5?
Viewers in India can watch Shark Tank India Season 5 on Sony Entertainment Television on TV and stream all episodes online on Sony LIV.
Q4. Who are the new sharks in Shark Tank India Season 5?
The new sharks in Season 5 are Hardik Kothiya (Rayzon Solar), Mohit Yadav (Minimalist), Viraj Bahl (Veeba), Shaily Mehrotra (Fixderma) and Kanika Tekriwal (JetSetGo), joining the existing panel of investors.
Q5. What do the Shark Tank India Season 5 judges invest in?
The Shark Tank India Season 5 judges invest in a mix of tech startups, D2C brands, manufacturing, FMCG, healthcare, renewable energy and aviation, depending on the startup’s business model, traction and valuation.
Q6. How can startups apply for Shark Tank India Season 5?
Founders can apply through the official registration process announced by Sony, usually via the Sony LIV app and official Shark Tank India registration page during the casting window.
Q7. Are all Shark Tank India Season 5 judges from India?
Yes, all Shark Tank India Season 5 judges are founders and business leaders who have built or scaled companies in India, many of which also operate in international markets.
