World Vegan Day is celebrated on November 1 every year across the globe. The day marks the founding day of The Vegan Society in the United Kingdom. It is observed to promote adoption of Vegan Lifestyle and to educate people on the benefits of veganism to health as well as the environment.
Veganism has a lot of potential in India especially considering the popularity of vegetarianism in the country. People of India have grown up learning the values of Non-Violence and tolerance from Mahatma Gandhi. These values have a direct link to veganism, making it even more attractive to the Indian populace. In addition to this, as more people strive to lead a healthier lifestyle, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic, Veganism is gaining a lot more attention in the country.
The growing popularity of Veganism in India can be attributed to the years of hard work put in by various organizations in form of workshops, events and blogging. Let us look at some of these organizations.
PETA India
PETA India, based in Mumbai, was launched in January 2000. It operates under the simple principle that animals are not ours to experiment on, eat, wear, use for entertainment, or abuse in any other way, while also educating policymakers and the public about animal abuse and promoting an understanding of the right of all animals to be treated with respect. It promotes the adoption of the Vegan lifestyle by conducting various campaigns to educate the public, engaging with the icons and celebrities, and blogging about veganism in general.
Satvik Vegan Society
Satvik Vegan Society, formerly Indian Vegan Society, founded by Shankar Narayan in 2004, is a registered public charitable trust. It is a member of the International Vegetarian Union and the Federation of Indian Animal Protection Organisations. The organization was born to provide an identity and a voice for vegans in India. It mainly focuses on activities aimed at creating awareness about veganism, supporting the people that are interested in leading a vegan lifestyle and in helping vegans be better vegans.
In order to accomplish this, Satvik Vegan Society organises vegan festivals, sets up vegan stalls at exhibitions, organises vegan talks, distributes leaflets, visits schools, contribute articles to newspapers, give television interviews, sends out newsletters, etc. It strives to work to bring awareness to people about the vegan lifestyle which is not only for the benefit of animals and the environment but is also good for their own health and well-being.
Dharmalaya Institute for Compassionate Living
Dharmalaya Institute for Compassionate Living is an ecological, organic & vegan institution. It is an Indian charitable organisation devoted to education and empowerment for compassionate living, with a practical focus on sustainable village development, contemplative service-learning, immersive ecotourism, and the preservation and adaptation of traditional wisdom. It believes that a plant-based (vegan) diet centred around organic whole foods is the most supportive diet for health and longevity. It works with a belief that human consumption of animal products causes harm to oneself, to the animals and their families, and to the environment. Therefore, it promotes veganism by conducting an array of complementary educational and charitable programmes spanning the fields of economic self-sufficiency, environmental stewardship, experiential education, community service, health, and personal development.
