Rise Of The Vegans

If you asked someone 5 years ago - did you know Bryan Adams is vegan? The answer would probably be a NO. However, the term ‘Veganism’ is no more an alien concept and the world is waking up to this healthy, cruelty-free, environmentally friendly lifestyle. With the launch of international documentaries like Cowspiracy, endorsed by none other than Leonardo DiCaprio, veganism has entered the mainstream- even on Netflix.

In India, more and more celebrities are switching to a vegan diet, be it for health reasons- Virat Kohli, Jacqueline Fernandez, Sunil Chhetri, or for the animals and the environment- Mallika Sherawat, Richa Chadda, Ayesha Takia, and others.

The world over, communities are being affected by climate change and global warming. In our own country, the erratic monsoon, water shortage, drought and extreme weather conditions are ingraining a sense of responsibility in many. Anushka Manchanda, who is a vocal animal activist, environmentalist, musician, artist among other things, says, ‘It’s not about being perfect or shaming people who aren’t vegan. It’s about realizing that our planet is dying and there is no planet B. Ethically, I made the connect when I realized I love animals too much tobe blindsided by false marketing of animal products.’

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One has a moral responsibility to disobey unjust laws. ????? #animalrightsmarchberlin #animalrightsmarch2019 #berlin #animalequality #vegan #govegan #veganindian

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Kangana Ranaut, once a hard-core non-vegetarian, switched to vegetarianism and became a dietary vegan when she realized dairy products were just not agreeing with her system. Turning vegan made a huge difference to her well-being – and she shared, in an interview, that she hopes to transition into an ethical vegan soon!

Rohan Hingorani of Splitsvilla fame, Heli Ved (a vlogger) and other social media influencers are also making their mark as ‘famous vegans’ amongst the likes of Bryan Adams, Brad Pitt, Joaquin Phoenix, Olivia Wilde, Woody Harelson. With the influx of gluten-free, GMO-free, cholesterol-free and dairy-free products in the market, social media influencers have been quick to hop on to the health brigade. From endorsing Yogi Bars to flaunting sustainable and up-cycled fashion wear, today’s youth is all about being hip and responsible with their own definition of alternative fashion. Instagram, being one of the fastest-growing digital platforms, has become a source of not only great photo journals but also a place to explore homegrown ethical and sustainable products.

Shivya Nath, an eco-friendly travel blogger, author and digital media professional, has an Instagram page called @nomadicvegan dedicated to her vegan food adventures from around the world. Shivya, like many others, discovered the pain animals feel due to our food choices and switched to a vegan diet. In her national bestseller – The Shooting Star, she talks about how she travels around the world exploring delicious plant-based food.

One to set the bar unbelievably high is Kuntal Joisher, who is the world’s first vegan and Indian to scale the mighty Mt. Everest on a vegan diet, from both sides. Kuntal decided to climb the Everest on a vegan diet or not at all, in solidarity to millions of animals who suffer due to our lifestyle choices. He even got special climbing gear made from Save the Duck foundation, which uses fishing nets instead of duck feather to tackle sub-zero temperature.

Owing to social media and healthy diet trends, many restaurants and cafés in Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Ahmedabad, Pune, Hyderabad, Goa, Ludhiana, and most big cities have introduced a range of vegan dishes tilting heavily on organic food. As per a recent report by Forbes, plant-based eating is one of the top trends driving the food and beverage industry.  In the up and coming vegan business industry, Abhishek Sinha, the founder Good Dot shares, ‘We believe that to make plant-based meat mainstream, it is important to have cost parity with real meat. This is where our strength lies.’ Selling more than 10,000 units a day, Good Dot is surely here to take the plant-based food industry by storm with products like veg meat, chicken and biryani.

Internationally, giants such as Tesco, Hershey, Nestle are few of the many to have ventured into the exploding vegan market. With products like wicked vegan meals, non-dairy milks, plant-based infant formula; the vegan food industry is growing exponentially. The world-famous designer and ethical vegan, Anita Dongre, also got her brand vegan certified to ensure that her clothing line does not harm animals in any way. In a Netflix series called The Creative Indians, Anita speaks about how she decided to stop using wool in any of her products after being exposed to the cruelty in the production of wool through a video.

This shift in lifestyle is not just for animal lovers but also for one’s own well-being and contributing to a healthier planet. The current level of industrialization of animal farming thus presents dire consequences to the world’s most pressing problems. Shifting away from unsustainable food systems is imperative to begin to secure the future of humans, animals and the planet.

_{*Feature image courtesy Aravind Animal Activist}

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Read: What Is Animal Farming And How Does It Affect Us?

Read more: Our Friend Kuntal Joisher Becomes First Vegan To Summit Mount Everest From The North & South Side!