Chennai Becomes the Hub of Direct Sell ing Dialogue as FDSA Showcases Industry Gro wth and Women’s Role
Tamil Nadu Lauded for Leading Role in ₹26, 000 Cr Industry.
Chennai, April 24, 2025 — The Federation of Direct Selling Association (FDSA), in collab oration with Shoolini University, successful lly organized a day-long Educa tion and Aw areness Program on April 2 4, 2025, at Hote l Radha Regent, Arumbakkam, Chennai. The event witnessed a vibrant gathering of over 300 Direct Selle rs from across Tamil Nadu, representing various FDSA member compa nies. FDS A, India’s largest self-regulatory body fo r the Direct Selling industry, establi shed in 2011 and comprising 29 active me mber companies, led the initiative. Key dign itaries present included Shri A P Reddy, Pre sident – FDSA, Shri Rajiv Gupta, Vice Presid ent – FDSA, Adv. Dev Anand, Vice President – FDSA, and academic expert s including D r. Prof. Thomas Joseph and Dr. Prof. Kamal kant Vasisht from Shooli ni University.
The Chief Guest, Thiru Mohan, IAS, Director & Commissioner, Civil Supplies & Consume r Affairs Department, Governament of Tamil Nadu, graced the occasion and commended FDSA for its consistent efforts in organizin g such awareness dri ves. The event served as an educational platform to raise awarene ss on Direct S elling rules, ethical practices, regulatory frameworks, and the importance of compliance with The Consumer Protectio n (Direct Selling) Rules, 2021. The 13-year long journey of FDSA was showcased throu gh a video presentation highlighting its imp act on shaping-up the legal and policy fram eworks, since its inception.
“The Direct Selling industry in India has co me a long way from the days of uncertainty and lack of regulation. When the Federation of Direct Selling Association (FDSA) was fo unded in 2011, our mission was clear—to br ing legal sanctity & structure to an industry that had immense potential but was often misunderstood. Over more than a decade, t hrough persi stent advocacy and close colla boration with both state and central govern ments, we are proud to have played a pivota l role in the development and implement ati on of the Consumer Protection (Direct Selli ng) Rules, 2021.
South India, and Tamil Nadu in particular, has always been at the forefront of th is mo vement. In fact, every district in Tamil Nadu is home to at least one success ful Direct Selling company. Today, the industry has ex panded to an impressive ₹26,000 crore in annual sales, with FDS A member compani es contributing approximately 31%. It is als o noteworthy that 45% of direct sellers are women, many of whom focus on healthca re-related OTC products designed to meet specific wellness needs at the individual le vel.
With a comprehensive regulatory framewor k now in-place, the Direct Selling sector is well-positioned for accelerated growth, pro ojected at around 20% year o n year. As Indi a progresses toward its vi sion of becoming a $5 trillion economy by 2047, I am confide nt that our industry will play a vital role in c ontributing to t hat national aspiration. It wa s during th e challenging year of 2020, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, that Direct Selling tr uly proved its value—emerging as the firs t choice for many who had lost their jobs an d were seeking an alternative, reliable sour ce of income. This momentum w as further reinforced by the introduction of the Direct Selling Rules in 2021, resulting in consisten t year-on-year indus try growth ranging fro m 12% to 20%.
In today’s fast-paced and demanding world , health has become a central concern. Stre ss, lifestyle imbalances, and poor dietary h abits are contributing to a surg e in long-t erm health conditions such as diabetes, th yroid disorders, obesity, and high blood pr essure. These issues often stem from irreg ular or inadequate nutrit ion. Recognizing t his growing need, many Direct Selling com panies are now focused on offering health and wellness products that help individuals maintain a ba lanced diet and lead healthier lives.”said Shri. A P Reddy, President, Feder ation of Direct Selling Association (FDSA)
During the event, Shri Rajiv Gupta, Vice Pr esident – FDSA, provided a comprehe nsive overview of the Direct Selling indu stry’s jou rney in India, highlighting the transformatio n from a credibility-challen ged sector to on e now backed by legal r ecognition. He enco uraged the youth to embrace Direct Selling as a legitimate livelihood opportunity. Adv. Dev Anand, also Vice President – FDSA, em phasized the importance of understanding legal compliance, ethical practices, and bus iness regulations, delivering a well-receive ed presentation to equip sellers with action able knowledge. He also thanked the Gove rnment of Tamil Nadu for its proactive step ps, including the 2023 gazette no tification establishing a state monitoring mechanism. Dr. Prof. Thomas Joseph, subject expert fro m Kerala’s Direct Selli ng Monitoring Commi ttee, shared insights into the supportive rol e of state governments and the significance of local-le vel oversight. Adding an academ mic perspective, Dr. Prof. Kamalkant Vasis ht from Shoolini University spoke about the uni versity’s contributions to Direct Selling education, while also shedding light on the global trends and future potential of the ind ustry in India.