Shankar Narayan Chronicles The History of Veganism In India In Upcoming Book 'Satva'

Mr. Shankar Narayan, the founder of the Satvik Vegan Society, will be celebrating twenty years of going vegan this June.

Always a peaceful person, Mr. Shankar went vegan even before knowing what veganism was, and has always implemented ideals of ahimsa in all aspects of his life.

To commemorate this 20-year anniversary, he is compiling a book called 'Satva' tracing the origins of veganism in India, its history, the works and stories of notable vegans, as well as highlights from his personal journey.

The Journey of Ahimsa

Born a vegetarian, Shankar gave up dairy in 1988 after being inspired by the autobiography of his idol, Mahatma Gandhi. The leader of the independence movement also stopped consuming dairy for eight years, and only resumed it after being pressured by doctors.

At this time, Shankar ji wasn't aware of the term 'vegan', and only wanted to put the values of non-violence into practice. Even then, it took him some time to learn about all aspects of animal cruelty in our daily lives. He gave up leather in 1993.

It was when he was abroad between 1996-1998 that he came across the term 'vegan' online, and started exploring it further. He learned about veganism as an international movement and The Vegan Society in the UK, which motivated him to contribute to the movement somehow.

"After I returned from abroad,  on 1st June, 2001, I decided to go vegan consciously," he shares.

But for the next three years, he followed this journey all alone. He didn't meet another vegan until 2004. Thus, in an attempt to bring people together and spread awareness about veganism, he started the Satvik Vegan Society in 2004.

Though adequate knowledge and vegan alternatives were not present at that time, he continued nevertheless. 

"Whatever was wrong, I stopped taking it. I didn't think of alternatives."

To this day, he does not use any vegan alternatives and opts for simple food without animal products.

Mr. Shankar was also the regional coordinator for the International Vegetarian Union for ten years, between 2006 and 2016. While called 'vegetarian', the UK-based union focused on spreading the ideals of veganism.

Speaking at the World Veg Congress in Germany in 2008

A significant moment for him in his vegan journey was his experience with the author of the widely known World Peace Diet and musician Dr. Will Tuttle. Tuttle contacted Mr. Shankar in 2017 when he wished to visit India. Together, they travelled for 15 days all over the country, holding events in major cities such as Bangalore, Kolkata and Mumbai.

The Satvik Vegan Society

Previously called the Indian Vegan Society, the organization has been holding an annual vegan event since its inception. Mr. Shankar has been setting up these festivals in a secluded forest on the Western Ghats since 2009. Called Sthitaprajna, this private forest is a fruit of his own labour, as he bought a three-acre barren land and planted 4000 saplings. Soon trees and plants started growing on its own. Today, the area is luscious and green, full of natural flora and fauna.

The private forest Sthitaprajna

These festivals are marked by free food, walks, talks, workshops, dance and music, open to all. They are a way to bring together like-minded people, and spread the message of veganism to all. The essence of these fests is practicing ahimsa and celebrating.

2021 year will mark the 18th vegan festival held by the Satvik Vegan Society. It will be held between 7th-10th August.

2010 Satvik Vegan Festival

Satva: A Souvenir

The idea to write a book about veganism was given to Shankar ji about ten years ago, by a friend who suggested that he compile all the information he had.

"It's been twenty years since I went vegan and I thought I would celebrate it in a different way. It has been a long journey with a lot of ups and downs, so the book will be chronicling that journey."

Mr. Shankar has also worked alongside the vegan historian John Davis in the past. Hailing from England, Davis is known for his connection to the International Vegetarian Union, documenting the history of veganism and news related to the movement all over the world.

Since there is no one document recording the history and origin of veganism in India, Mr. Shankar has taken this task upon himself.

Satva will also be tracing Shankar Ji's personal journey, as well as the experiences and voices of other vegans he met along the way, including activists and writers such as Dr. Will Tuttle, Dr. Rupa Shah, Darshana Mazumdar, and more.

“This book is a compilation of stories and articles from a lot of people who made the movement happen," he shares.

Satva will be published in August 2022.

What is his view on veganism today?

“The movement has grown to a mammoth size now than it was 20 years ago.”

While there are positive observations, Mr. Shakar believes that in comparison to the problems this world is facing today, including the growing population and increasing cruelty, the response can be bigger.

Nevertheless, he is optimistic. Mr. Shankar also noted that the number of Indian vegans attending his annual vegan festivals have increased drastically. He is hopeful that this trend will continue, and is attempting to make the movement's history in the country known.

His message to fellow vegans...

“Veganism is a value you practice – it's a part of ahimsa – not causing any hurt or cruelty to others. It is not just about not eating animals, but also extending the same principle to other areas of our lives.”