'Bindi, Tilak Not Restricted': Lenskart Founder Clarifies After Row Over Grooming Policy

Lenskart's founder, Peyush Bansal, acknowledged a "language lapse" in the company's grooming policy on social media, dismissing the viral document as outdated after it suggested that employees were not allowed to wear a bindi or tilak while permitting items such as a hijab and turban. The controversy began after a document titled "Lenskart Staff Uniform and Grooming Guide" surfaced online. The document stated that "religious tikka/tilak and bindi/sticker is not allowed," while allowing employees to wear black-coloured turbans and hijabs. Another version of the style guide, dated February 2, 2026, also reportedly barred visible sindoor and kalawa threads. Bansal clarified that the company has revised the grooming policy multiple times over the years, and the version currently circulating online is outdated. "Our policy has no restrictions on any form of religious expression, including bindi and tilak, and we continue to review our guidelines regularly," he wrote on X, adding that the circulated document does not reflect the company's current guidelines.