Anti-ageing millionaire Bryan Johnson raises alarm over India's pollution

Tech entrepreneur says breathing in India equates to smoking multiple cigarettes daily

“It’s like in the middle of a fire,” Bryan Johnson, the US tech millionaire known for anti-ageing routines, has voiced concern over India’s pollution levels, calling those a serious threat to health and longevity.

 

Johnson, who founded Kernel, a US-based company that has developed a non-invasive neuroimaging technology and a payment gateway called Braintree, visited India for the first time in December last year and again in February this year. Recalling his time in India, he released a video on Tuesday drawing attention to the country’s high levels of air pollution on the social media platform X. He said spending just a short time outdoors in Indian cities could be equivalent to smoking several cigarettes per day due to the alarming air quality. He also expressed surprise that more global attention was not being paid to the issue.

 

 

I loved being in India. My first time.  I was shocked by how normalized Indians are to poor air quality. Breathing the air is like smoking multiple cigarettes a day. Yet no one wears a mask or has air filters in their indoor environments.  The evidence shows that India would… pic.twitter.com/1Ex8zeS1Ee

— Bryan Johnson (@bryan_johnson) April 8, 2025

 

“I was shocked by how normalised Indians are to poor air quality. Breathing the air is like smoking multiple cigarettes a day. Yet no one wears a mask or has air filters in their indoor environments,” he said.

 

The entrepreneur, who has made headlines for his ambitious age-reversal regime involving strict diets, medical tests, and experimental treatments, stressed that clean air is the most basic prerequisite for health. He questioned how populations were expected to prioritise wellness when fundamental environmental safety was at risk.

 

Johnson said, “One of our biggest concerns coming to India is the air quality. I think they have right now the worst air quality in the entire world, and it’s interesting that nobody is wearing a mask.” He continued, “It’s awful, it’s like in the middle of a fire.”

 

“Why Indian leaders haven’t declared air pollution a national emergency yet,” he asked.

 

While in Mumbai in February, Bryan Johnson walked out of a podcast with Zerodha co-founder Nikhil Kamath due to poor air quality. He later said the room circulated outdoor air, making his purifier ineffective, and noted he developed a rash and throat irritation on the third day of his visit.

Air pollution crisis in India

India has repeatedly ranked among the countries with the worst air quality, particularly during the winter months when pollution levels spike due to stubble burning, industrial emissions, and vehicular pollution. The World Health Organization (WHO) has long warned of the long-term health consequences, including respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. Seventy-four of the 100 most polluted cities and towns in the world are in India, according to the latest World Air Quality Report 2024, a marginal improvement from 83 recorded the previous year.

 

According to UK-based philanthropic organisation Clean Air Fund, New Delhi ranks as the most polluted capital city globally, with levels of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) nearly 10 times higher than the limits recommended by the WHO.

 

Clean Air Fund has highlighted that in India, air pollution has become a silent killer that contributes to over two million deaths annually in the country. It is also a major cause of respiratory and cardiovascular illnesses.

 

Even on Thursday, the air quality in the capital deteriorated with the Aiq Quality Index (AQI) remaining in the ‘poor’ category after showing ‘moderate’ levels during last week. According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the AQI was recorded at 241 at 8 am on April 10, up from 233 at the same time on Wednesday.

 

AQI levels range from 0 to 500, where 0–50 is ‘good’, 51–100 is ‘satisfactory’, 101–200 is ‘moderate’, 201-300 is ‘poor’, 301-400 is ‘very poor’, and 301–500 is ‘severe’ with emergency health risks for everyone.

How to check AQI in your area

Here are some sources to monitor AQI levels in your locality:

 

SAFAR app and website

The System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR) offers real-time AQI data for major Indian cities. The app and website also provide forecasts, helping users plan their outdoor activities accordingly.

 

Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB)

The CPCB website features live AQI monitoring and analysis. For mobile users, the Sameer app by CPCB enables convenient access to AQI updates.

 

AQICN.org

This international platform provides comprehensive AQI data for cities across the globe, including several locations in India.

 

Google and weather apps

Many smartphones and weather applications now include AQI tracking. Typing ‘AQI’ followed by your city’s name in Google will show current air quality instantly.  For more health updates and wellness insights, follow #HealthWithBS