Shilpa Shetty at World Happiness Summit: 'Gratitude is something you have to practice'
Synopsis
At India's first World Happiness Summit in Bengaluru, Shilpa Shetty made a case for gratitude as a daily practice — not a passive feeling — while Arjun Kapoor argued that chasing success is the wrong path to joy. Two of Bollywood's most recognisable faces at a wellness summit signals how mainstream the mental health conversation has become in India.
Key Takeaways
Shilpa Shetty spoke at India's first World Happiness Summit at New Horizon College of Engineering, Bengaluru on 27 September 2026 .
Shilpa described gratitude as a daily practice, saying, 'Gratitude is something that you have to practice.' She introduced her personal concept of 'Atma Namaste' — greeting others at a soul level rather than a superficial one.
Arjun Kapoor urged audiences to shift from associating happiness with success and achievements to seeking peace and purpose within.
The summit was hosted by Happpy AiR — Atman in Ravi and featured speakers from entertainment, entrepreneurship, spirituality, wellness, and social leadership.
Actress Shilpa Shetty took centrestage at India's first World Happiness Summit, held at New Horizon College of Engineering in Bengaluru on 27 September 2026, sharing her personal philosophy on joy, gratitude, and the soul-level connections that she believes underpin lasting happiness.
Shilpa Shetty on Gratitude and Inner Peace
Speaking at the summit, Shilpa offered a candid window into her approach to well-being. 'I think we all have our own way of being, and for me, I feel so much in gratitude. Gratitude is something that you have to practice. Even if something doesn't go your way, I thank the Lord for it not happening,' she said. She elaborated that good health and family provide her with a constant bedrock of happiness, adding, 'Whatever has to come your way is part of your journey.'
Notably, Shilpa underscored a spiritual dimension that she feels modern life often neglects. 'Sometimes we tend to overlook the soul and focus only on the outer body and the name. When I interact with people, I interact on a soul level. I always say "Atma Namaste" — it is my soul greeting you,' she said. She expressed a belief in the purposefulness of human connections, stating, 'I truly believe that we were all meant to meet, and if something shifts within us through that meeting, perhaps it was already meant to happen.'
Arjun Kapoor on Pleasure, Peace and Purpose
Actor Arjun Kapoor, another prominent speaker at the summit, offered a complementary perspective, reflecting on how society conflates happiness with external markers of success. 'We often associate happiness with success, achievements and moments of pleasure, while overlooking the importance of finding peace within and having a deeper sense of purpose,' he said.
Kapoor described a framework of three interlocking ideas — pleasure, peace, and purpose — that he said resonated deeply with him. 'For me, happiness is about being present, understanding myself better, appreciating the journey and finding meaning beyond the highs and lows of everyday life. It reminded me that happiness is not something I need to constantly chase; it is something I can create through the way I choose to live, think and connect with myself and the people around me,' he added.
About the Summit
The event was hosted by Happpy AiR — Atman in Ravi, described as the Happpiness Ambassador, and brought together voices from entertainment, public life, entrepreneurship, spirituality, wellness, and social leadership. The choice of Bengaluru as the venue for India's inaugural edition of the summit reflects the city's growing stature as a hub for conversations at the intersection of technology, wellness, and human development.
Why It Matters
The summit arrives at a moment of growing public discourse around mental health and emotional well-being in India, with celebrities increasingly using their platforms to normalise conversations about inner peace and mindfulness. This is the first time India has hosted the World Happiness Summit, an event series that has drawn global audiences elsewhere for its focus on actionable well-being frameworks. The participation of mainstream Bollywood figures like Shilpa and Kapoor lends the event significant visibility among younger audiences.
Point of View
But the specific framing here — Shilpa's 'Atma Namaste' and Kapoor's pleasure-peace-purpose trinity — pushes past the generic positivity that often dilutes such events. What is more significant is the institutional signal: India hosting its own edition of the World Happiness Summit, with mainstream Bollywood as the draw, reflects a genuine shift in how urban India packages and consumes mental well-being. The risk is that marquee star power overshadows the substantive well-being research these summits are meant to platform — and that the conversation stays aspirational rather than actionable.
NationPress
27 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Shilpa Shetty say at the World Happiness Summit?
Shilpa Shetty spoke about gratitude as a conscious daily practice, saying 'Gratitude is something that you have to practice.' She also introduced her personal concept of 'Atma Namaste', describing it as greeting others at a soul level, and spoke about finding happiness through family, good health, and acceptance of one's journey.
Where was India's first World Happiness Summit held?
India's first World Happiness Summit was held at New Horizon College of Engineering in Bengaluru on 27 September 2026. It was hosted by Happpy AiR — Atman in Ravi, the Happpiness Ambassador.
What did Arjun Kapoor say about happiness?
Arjun Kapoor said that society too often equates happiness with success and achievements, while neglecting inner peace and purpose. He described a framework of pleasure, peace, and purpose, arguing that happiness is something one creates through conscious choices rather than something to be constantly chased.
Who organised the World Happiness Summit in Bengaluru?
The summit was organised and hosted by Happpy AiR — Atman in Ravi, referred to as the Happpiness Ambassador. It brought together speakers from entertainment, public life, entrepreneurship, spirituality, wellness, and social leadership.
Why is the World Happiness Summit significant for India?
This was the first time India hosted the World Happiness Summit, marking a milestone for the country's growing wellness and mental health conversation. The involvement of prominent Bollywood figures like Shilpa Shetty and Arjun Kapoor brings mainstream visibility to themes of inner peace, gratitude, and purposeful living.
