'Guy spent years feeding us chole bhature on Zomato...': Startup CEO on Temple's body fat hiring rule

As the post circulated more widely, some internet users questioned whether such conditions are compatible with Indian employment regulations.

A recruitment announcement by Deepinder Goyal for his new wearable technology venture, Temple, has generated significant debate online after it set specific body fat thresholds for applicants.

Shravan Tickoo, founder and chief executive of Rethink Systems, drew attention to the criteria in a post on LinkedIn. “So Deepinder Goyal recently said that for his new startup Temple, hiring requires: Males with 16% body fat or less. Females with 26% body fat or less. Employees need to be athletes and serious about the mission,” Tickoo wrote.

Responding with humour, he added: “We knew AI was taking jobs, and used to order comfort food from Zepto or Blinkit to cope. Now not even that is possible as... our late-night biryani is officially a career hazard! So next up writing PRDS while holding a two-minute plank.”

He continued: “And the guy who spent years feeding us Chole Bhature on Zomato is now rejecting us for eating it! Talk about the ultimate corporate trap. Truly fate loves irony.”

Tickoo’s remarks were widely shared and prompted a stream of reactions. Some social media users indicated support for Goyal’s position, while others echoed Tickoo’s criticism.

One commenter wrote: “So the new hiring metric is BMI > KPI? Time to update LinkedIn with body fat % next to years of experience.” Another said: “I wouldn't listen to an obese salesperson selling me a health device, though, so it makes sense. I would laugh at the irony for sure.”

A third user posted: “From ‘add extra cheese’ to ‘add extra abs’— what a plot twist.” A fourth offered a satirical exchange: “Interviewer: ‘Can you tell us about a time you overcame a challenge?’ Me: ‘I didn’t order the chole bhature on Zomato for three consecutive days.’ Interviewer: ‘Welcome aboard, you elite athlete’.”

The controversy followed Goyal’s own announcement outlining Temple’s hiring standards. In his post, he wrote: “At Temple, we are building the ultimate wearable for elite performance athletes. A device that measures what no other wearable in the world measures, with a level of precision that doesn't exist yet.”

After detailing the roles available, he explained the eligibility criteria: “We are building for people who push their bodies to the edge. We want to be those people, not just serve them. So only people who take fitness seriously, and have body fat <16% (men) and 26% (women) should apply. If you're not there yet but will commit to getting there in three months, you can apply too; but you'll be on probation until you are.”

We're recruiting at @temple.

At Temple, we are building the ultimate wearable for elite performance athletes. A device that measures what no other wearable in the world measures, with a level of precision that doesn't exist yet. To build it, we need people who are obsessive… pic.twitter.com/iCHaMUwdEw — Deepinder Goyal (@deepigoyal) February 27, 2026

The requirements stipulate that male applicants must have a body fat percentage below 16 per cent and female applicants below 26 per cent, or commit to achieving those levels within three months while remaining on probation.

As the post circulated more widely, some internet users questioned whether such conditions are compatible with Indian employment regulations. Critics suggested that imposing physical criteria not directly linked to job performance could be viewed as discriminatory. Others argued that the nature of Temple’s product — a wearable device aimed at elite performance athletes — justified the emphasis on physical fitness.

I’m so tired of Indian startup circles. First Bhavish’s BS, now this. This is deeply illegal, if you’re being discriminatory don’t be stupid enough to publicly post it. A very Indian trait is this deep focus on optics, not product. Mobile fNIRS is close to impossible and this is… https://t.co/gmsnbvAlvs — august (@augustradjoe) February 27, 2026

Goyal, who previously led Zomato and is now associated with Eternal, has faced both praise and criticism for what many described as an unconventional recruitment approach. While some defended the alignment between the company’s mission and its workforce expectations, others maintained that hiring decisions based on body composition raise ethical and legal concerns.