Jay Shetty is a famous author, podcaster, and former monk who currently lives in Los Angeles, California. Shetty has lived in LA for several years now, ever since relocating from London in 2016. Before moving to LA, Shetty lived an ascetic lifestyle as a monk in India for three years. Now based in Southern California, Shetty has built a successful career as a lifestyle guru and inspirational speaker. He lives with his wife Radhi in a lavish mansion located in the Hollywood Hills.
Jay Shetty’s Early Life in the UK
Jay Shetty was born in London, England in 1987 to immigrant parents from India. He grew up in a traditional Indian household in North West London. Shetty has said his parents worked hard to give him and his sister opportunities they never had themselves. As a child, Shetty attended a private Catholic boys school. He was studious and athletic as a teen, playing competitive field hockey. Shetty went on to study behavioral science at the prestigious University of Manchester. It was towards the end of his college years that Shetty began questioning his purpose in life. A conversation with a monk during a family trip to India convinced the 22-year-old Shetty to take a life-changing journey.
Shetty’s 3 Years as a Monk in India
In 2009, Jay Shetty made the radical decision to leave his life and career in London to become a monk. He spent the next three years living in ashrams in India, detached from society and devoting his life to studying ancient Vedic wisdom. Shetty lived an ascetic lifestyle with a strict daily routine focused on meditation, yoga, and temple rituals. As a monk, he took a vow of celibacy and abstinence from worldly pleasures. Shetty says his time as a monk was transformative, helping him gain inner peace and a new perspective on life. However, he knew after three years that he wanted to bring his learnings back to society. Shetty left monastic life in 2012 to return to the UK, feeling spiritually rejuvenated with a desire to help others find purpose.
Shetty’s Speaking and Coaching Career
After leaving monastic life, Jay Shetty struggled at first to adjust back to modern society. But he soon discovered a way to share his wisdom by becoming a motivational speaker. In 2015, Shetty delivered his first talk on mindfulness and purpose at a London club. The response was overwhelmingly positive and he got invited to give more talks across the UK. Shetty’s charismatic and relatable speaking style made him a sought-after guru. He built a reputation for blending ancient Vedic principles with practical self-help tailored for millennials. Shetty also started providing individual life coaching sessions, helping clients from all walks of life reach their full potential. His unique perspective from time as a monk intrigued people.
Gaining Fame on Social Media
Jay Shetty’s success as a speaker led him to expand onto social media platforms. In 2016, he launched a Facebook page where he shared inspiring daily videos that quickly went viral. Shetty’s short clips distilling profound lessons into easily digestible format resonated with viewers. His social media following grew exponentially to over 30 million followers across Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and a podcast. This online fame gained Shetty even bigger speaking gigs at business conferences and Fortune 500 companies. He also got a book deal and became a regular contributor on media outlets like the Today Show. Shetty had gone from monk to social media superstar within just a few years.
Shetty Relocates to Los Angeles
By 2016, Jay Shetty’s career had taken off so rapidly that he decided to relocate to Los Angeles. The move from London to LA allowed Shetty to be closer to the epicenter of entertainment and technology. Setting up shop in Southern California also put him in the same city as many of the digital stars and influencers he met. Shetty continued growing his social media empire from his new LA headquarters with more inspirational videos and podcast interviews. He also started speaking at major venues across the US. While Shetty returned to a more material world in LA, he kept up daily meditation, yoga, and spiritual practices from his monk days. His LA lifestyle still revolved around health and wellness rather than partying.
Marriage to Radhi Devlukia-Shetty
In 2016 shortly after moving to LA, Shetty met fashion designer Radhi Devlukia-Shetty through mutual friends. The two felt an instant connection and began dating. Radhi was originally from the UK as well and had recently relocated to LA to pursue her fashion career. After two years of dating long-distance, Shetty proposed to Radhi in 2018 during a trip to her family’s home in India. The couple had a lavish Indian wedding in Northern California later that year attended by over 200 guests. Radhi became Shetty’s wife as well as his closest confidante. She took over managing the business side of her husband’s brand as his fame exploded. Radhi and Jay Shetty remain happily married and committed partners, living together in their shared mansion.
Shetty’s Top Podcast and Netflix Deal
In 2018, Jay Shetty launched his hit podcast called “On Purpose with Jay Shetty”. It quickly became one of the most popular podcasts on Spotify. Shetty has featured big name guests like Will Smith, Khloe Kardashian, and more opening up on life meaning. In 2020, Shetty signed a major deal to bring his podcast to video format on Netflix. His show “Think Like A Monk” premiered as a Netflix Original series last year combining interviews, Shetty’s teachings, and dynamic visuals. The success of the Netflix partnership further cemented Shetty’s fame and influence. But he’s remained committed to his mission of making wisdom go viral even as his star has risen.
Purchase of Hollywood Hills Mansion
As Jay Shetty’s career accomplishments and wealth grew exponentially over just a few years, so did his real estate. In 2019, Shetty and his wife purchased a sprawling mansion located in the Hollywood Hills for nearly $5 million. The 8,600 square-foot property features 6 bedrooms, 7 baths, and sweeping views of LA. Shetty’s pad has a gourmet kitchen, home theater, gym, and indoor pool. The grand estate replaced his and Radhi’s modest 2-bedroom starter home in West Hollywood. Shetty has said financial success is simply a byproduct of fulfilling his life’s purpose. He sees his Hollywood Hills mansion not as extravagance but a manifestation of serving others.
Shetty’s Lifestyle and Diet
Despite his posh Hollywood home and fame, Jay Shetty maintains many of the simple, healthy habits he formed during his monk years. Shetty is a vegan and starts each day at 4 a.m. with yoga, meditation, chanting, and journaling for self-reflection. He exercises daily, often doing cardio, weights, or playing soccer with friends at home. Shetty eats a whole foods plant-based diet, crediting this clean eating and spiritual practices for his glowing health and energy. Friends describe him as the most disciplined person they know. Shetty still spends much of his day in solitude writing, planning content, and studying Vedic texts. While he enjoys his luxurious LA home, he remains removed from its flashiness.
Shetty’s Philanthropy and Mission
Jay Shetty has also committed himself to various philanthropic efforts, a value he embraced during his monk years. He’s partnered with non-profits like Pencils of Promise to build schools in developing countries. Shetty also launched a mental health campaign called Help India Breathe to provide aid during the Covid-19 crisis in India. Additionally, he works with Purpose Prep, an organization that teaches purpose and mindfulness to teens. Shetty hopes to counteract the teen mental health crisis. But above all, Shetty sees spreading wisdom, community, and helping others find meaning as his humanitarian mission. While now a rich celebrity, he wants to remain humble and compassionate.
Shetty’s Big Ambitions for the Future
Jay Shetty shows no signs of slowing down his efforts to make ancient wisdom go mainstream. If anything, his ambitions have grown bigger even as his star has risen. Shetty aspires to build his brand into something like the new-age Disney. He wants to continue reaching mass audiences across every media platform possible with his uplifting content and relatable voice. Shetty also envisions creating wisdom theme parks, conscious networking groups, yoga centers, and other immersive experiences. He sees limitless potential for how his message can impact people’s lives for the better. While now a bonafide celeb, Shetty just considers himself a conduit for something much bigger.
Conclusion
In summary, Jay Shetty went from living in ashrams as a monk to now residing in a Hollywood Hills mansion as a wealthy podcaster and influencer. But despite his glitzy LA digs and fame, Shetty remains committed to his deeper purpose. He still adheres to his monk lifestyle in many ways like daily meditation, vegan diet, philanthropy and detachment from materialism. Shetty leveraged his unique monastic learnings into a massively successful and far-reaching motivational brand. But he hopes his content resonates not because of his celebrity, but the universal wisdom he imparts. Shetty seems to have manifested the American Dream life in LA. But his dream is to continue transforming lives worldwide by making ancient wisdom go viral.