Who is Dr. Sivaranjani Santosh? And all athe ORS controversy that shook the food industry

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) recently issued a directive to all States, Union Territories and Central Licensing Authorities directing food business operators (FBOs) to remove the term “ORS” from product names. The order, published on October 14, 2025, highlights that using “ORS” as a standalone term, with prefixes or suffixes, or as part of a trademark violates the Food Safety and Standards Act 2006. FSSAI has clarified that even beverages labeled as fruit-based, still or ready-to-drink cannot use the term “ORS” unless they meet official medical standards.

Dr. Who is Sivaranjani Santosh: The Woman Behind the Change

This regulatory action comes from Dr., a Hyderabad-based pediatrician. It comes after an eight-year campaign led by Sivaranjani Santosh. For almost a decade, Dr. Santosh raises awareness about how some companies are misleading the public by branding sugary drinks as ORS. Speaking to ANI, he described the directive as a “huge relief” and said that mislabelled products endanger lives rather than saving them.
Dr. “ORS is meant to save lives; it is one of the most important medical discoveries of the 20th century,” said Santosh. “But companies have been deceiving people for years by selling high-sugar drinks under the ORS label. These drinks worsen diarrhea rather than treating it.”
Dr. Santosh also pointed out that diarrheal diseases continue to be a major cause of death among children under five in India. “Approximately 13 out of every 100 child deaths in this age group are due to diarrhea,” he said, warning companies for their “callous” disregard for public health.

ORS Controversy

Despite facing intense pressure, including opposition from his own peers and family, Dr. Santosh insisted. He filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in the Telangana High Court in 2022 against companies marketing sugary drinks as ORS. His petition emphasized that these products contain up to 120 grams of sugar per liter; This is much higher than the 13.5 grams per liter recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO). The drinks also lacked adequate levels of electrolytes, making them potentially harmful.

His insistence led to further scrutiny by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and FSSAI. FSSAI first restricted the use of ‘ORS’ in food products in April 2022. But after some companies filed writ petitions, the regulator temporarily allowed those with registered trademarks to continue using the term, pending a final decision by the Controller-General of Patents, Designs and Trademarks. Now, with the latest October 2025 directive, Dr. Santosh’s long legal and moral battle resulted in a landmark move to protect public health and prevent deceptive labeling in India’s food and beverage industry.