This article examines what human rights actually are.

The Bangalore Vegan group was started by Mr. Dilip Bafna of Animal Rights Fund, India on April 2008. He had a vision of providing a fertile ground for vegans and non-vegans to come and explore the multifaceted benefits of a vegan lifestyle.

According to the director General of the World Health organization, the biggest threat facing humanity today are climate change, rising of new and old epidemic diseases, hunger, heart diseases, obesity, cancer, auto immune diseases and loss of freshwater.[1] Many people will find it surprising to believe that all these problems can be scientifically and efficiently mitigated if the world adopts a vegan diet.

The Worldwatch institute calculated that the meat and the diary industry combined are one of the most potent contributors of greenhouse gases.[2] In fact, the livestock industry has also been shown to damage the ozone. [3]

Water footprint network found that a mere 3% of total world water is freshwater. It requires ridiculous amounts of water to produce meat and other non-vegan food products. For example, it takes 208 Liters of water to produce just one cup of cow's milk. It requires 200 liters of water to produce one egg. 13,700 liters of water is required to produce just one kilogram of beef! One kilogram of chicken requires 3500+ liters of water to produce. And the above are just global average conservative figures. Now lets compare this with the most water intensive crops - rice and soy. One kilogram of rice requires 3500 liters of water to grow whereas one kilogram of soy requires approximately 1600 liters of water to produce. Compare this to wheat that requires merely 1000 liters of water to produce per kilogram. [4]

Apart from water, on an average, it requires 12 kilograms of grain to produce one kilogram of meat.[5] In fact, 70% of the total food we grow is fed to the animals to get significantly lower quantities of meat.[6] If this food is fed to the hungry, it can solve the world hunger problem 14 times over! [7] 1.4 Billion people can be fed if just the United States of America goes vegan![8] Funneling our precious water and food supply through the poor animals who are artificially brought into this world to meet the demand for our taste for meat in a world where billions are starving and have no access to clean drinking water is irresponsible on many fronts.

Apart from that, the livestock industry is also a major contributor to land pollution. On an average, the same amount of land can feed approximately 20 people on a vegan diet and only 2 people on a meat based diet.[8] Because of this, precious rainforests around the world are being destroyed at an alarming rate to meet the sky-rocketing demand for meat and diary around the world. Worldwatch Institute calculated that in order to make just one fast-food hamburger from rain-forest beef, members of 20-30 different plant species, 100 different insect species, and dozens of bird, mammal and reptile species are destroyed – for just ONE hamburger.[9]

We slaughter a hundred billion land and sea animals every year. That's a number the human mind cannot even grasp and comprehend. The oceans are dying because of overfishing and it has been estimated that since 13 of the major 17 world fisheries are dead already, there may be no seafood by 2048. An ocean devoid of fish also absorbs less CO2 thereby worsening global warming. [10][11]

When land animals are kept in an unnatural and unhygienic environment, crammed so that they cannot even move; they physically and mentally break down. This lowers their immunity and they become a breeding ground for pandemic influenza. Its noteworthy that this does not happen for animals in the wild. Before the domestication of horses, there was no common cold! The domestication of cows turned into measles. In the last 150 years measles have killed 250 million people. The domestication of camels turned into small pox. The domestication of pigs turned into whooping cough. The domestication of chickens gave us typhoid. The domestication of ducks gave us influenza. [12] Animal use has costed mankind more lives than all the accidents, natural disasters and wars combined. And it continues to kill people in the form of cancers, auto immune diseases and heart diseases.

Numerous peer-reviewed studies by some of the most prestigious health and scientific bodies around the world have independently linked the consumption of animal protein with various types of cancers and auto-immune diseases and animal fat with heart problems and obesity. In fact, the National Academy of Science concluded that the ideal amount of trans-fat that are only found in animal products and hydrogenated oils humans should consume is zero![13][14][15] The most ambitious health study to date, the China Study, hailed as the "Grand Prix of epidemiology” and the “most comprehensive large study ever undertaken of the relationship between diet and the risk of developing disease.”, and has been peer-reviewed multiple times reached the same conclusion. A vegan diet is the most natural diet for humans. [16]

Here is what the American Dietetic Association concluded in their position paper, "It is the position of the American Dietetic Association that appropriately planned vegetarian diets, including total vegetarian or vegan diets, are healthful, nutritionally adequate, and may provide health benefits in the prevention and treatment of certain diseases. Well-planned vegetarian diets are appropriate for individuals during all stages of the lifecycle, including pregnancy, lactation, infancy, childhood, and adolescence, and for athletes." Volume 109, Issue 7, Pages 1266-1282 (July 2009) [17]

Evidence is now emerging that a vegan diet can reverse diabetes, certain cancers and heart diseases thereby providing a cheap, drug-free and healthy alternative to millions searching for hope.[13][14][15][16][17]

Another simple way to understand the benefits of a vagan diet for the planet is to imagine you are a car. According to Foodwatch, a vegan would consume the petrol equivalent of driving for 630 Kms per year. Contrast this with 2400 Kms for lacto-vegetarians and 4700 kms for non-vegetarians. [18]

There is no other one single thing we can do today to have such a significant impact on human rights, human health, the planet and most importantly the animals than to adopt a vegan diet.

Many high-performance athletes such as Robert Cheeke - Champion Bodybuilder, Martina Navratilova - Champion Tennis Player, Mac Danzig - Mixed Martial Arts Fighter and many others have gone vegan to improve their performance. Carl Lewis won 9 Olympic Gold Medals on a vegan diet! The list of vegan athletes are everincreasing. In fact, Iron Mike Tyson has also recently reported that he has gone vegan. [19] A vegan diet, as many peer-reviewed studies conclude, is “ideal” for people who seek fitness of both body and mind.

There are four kinds of fats that we can consume:

Great: Omega 3: Found in Flax Seeds, Pumpkin seeds, Sunflower seeds etc,
Good: Mono Unsaturated : Found in Avocados, Almonds etc.
Bad: Saturated Fats : Found in Meat and Diary
Killer: Trans-fats : Found only in two places; Animal Products (Meat/Diary) and Hydrogenated Vegetable Oils

It's true that you can occasionally come across an overweight vegan (due to the consumption of hydrogenated vegetable oils), or a lean non-vegan, but on an average, vegan are significantly more leaner than their non-vegan counterparts. A subset of vegan diet, called the RAVE diet can do the trick for people struggling with weight problems. RAVE is an acronym for no Refined foods, no Animal products, no Vegetable oils and no Exceptions.

So yes, a RAVE diet can definitely cut out all the bad and killer fat out of your life and you will notice wonderful results in no time without resorting to any fad crash diets and other unhealthy practices. [20]

Most people become vegan for ethical reasons. Therefore there are two kinds of vegan diets: healthy and unhealthy. While french fries, alcohol, cigarettes, tobacco and oily foods in general are vegan, they are not healthy. As mentioned before, a healthy vegan diet is called a RAVE diet and even if it's not followed to the letter, a conventional vegan diet is any day healthier than a meat and diary based diet. We have a mounting body of evidence today that trans-fat is one of the key reasons to get type II diabetes. Some people have even reported reversal or significant decrease in insulin intake for type I diabetes on a vegan diet low on oils.[22] India is the diabetic capital of the world. This piece of information should be god-send for people dealing with this degenerative disease that can lead to blindness and even amputation in later stages of life. Also, diary has been linked with the damage and/or cancer of the pancreas in men.[21] Women who are raised on diary reach menarche at the age of 12. Vegan babies reach menarche at age 18. Vegan women also hit menopause soon. This immediately shaves of 5-7 years of estrogen exposure thereby reducing the risk of breast cancer in women.[16]

Animal protein found in meat and diary have been linked with various cancers and auto immune diseases like multiple sclerosis.[13][14][15][16][17] Even autistic patients can benefit from a vegan diet free of wheat gluten.[23] High amounts of aluminum artificially added to cheese has also been linked with Alzheimer's.

Animal fat can give atherosclerotic plaques to humans since we are herbivores and not omnivores and they can cause heart diseases.[24][25] It's worth noting that cholesterol is not an essential nutrient, meaning we need not externally supplement it. Our livers produce all the cholesterol we need. Cholesterol is only present in animal products and no plant has ever been shown to contain cholesterol. A healthy vegan diet gives you zero cholesterol thereby eliminating any chance for us to get a heart attacks due to atherosclerotic plaques.

Its true that cancers, auto-immune diseases and obesity can have genetic causes. But genes alone cannot induce these diseases. They need a trigger in the form of animal protein and fats as was found by the China-Oxford-Cornell Diet and Health Project.[26] The chances of these disease occurring in nature due to genetic causes are statistically insignificant.

Your body will thank you in the long run for adopting a vegan diet. You will feel better, lighter and more upbeat. And of course, stay away from tobacco, alcohol and oily foods.

Nobody can live a long and healthy life on a meat-based diet alone - unless you want to live like the Eskimos who, on an average, live for only 20 years. [27] Even meat-eaters and diary consumers have to eat lentils, legumes, fruits and vegetables. Given the fact that humans are herbivores [24][25] and cow's milk is a complete food for you....only if you are a calf, we actually do not need any alternatives or substitutes. In fact, 60 % of the people cannot even digest cow's milk.[28] When you come to think about it, even cow's dont drink their own milk when they grow up. As stated by the American Dietetic association [17], a vegan diet can furnish us will all the nutrients we need. The complete adequacy of vegetarian diets is now so thoroughly proven and documented that even the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association has acknowledged the legitimacy of meatless diets. In an official statement, these representatives of the beef industry declared, “Well planned vegen diets can meet dietary recommendations for essential nutrients.”. That said, honey can be replaced by Agave or Rooh Afza. Many vegans replace paneer with tofu and milk with almond, rice, coconut, or soy milk.

Other than that, no substitutes are required, just a whole food, plant based diet, preferably seasonal, organic and non-genetically modified.

We all know that calcium is required by the body to build bones. The bone strength is dependent upon four factors, namely, genes, diet, exercise and vitamin D. You can be sincere and you can be sincerely wrong. The diary industry all over the world promotes cow's milk as a human food often citing strong bones as a marketing mantra. Well, opinions mean nothing in science. Science tells us that moderate consumption of milk has no effect on bone density whatsoever and that excess consumption of diary can actually weaken the bones.[15] In fact, countries with the highest consumption of diary such as Finland, Sweden, USA and England also have the highest rate of osteoporosis (a disease of weakening of bones) in the exact same sequence.[8][36]

So where do vegans get their calcium? From where any other herbivores do: plants. The green leafy vegetables such as spinach, brusseles sprouts, mustard greens, broccoli, kale etc have more absorbable calcium than cow's milk.[8][29] A well balanced vegan diet can furnish not just calcium and protein but all the other essential nutrients for a healthy human body.[13][14][15][16][17]

Initially, it may seem like a vegan lifestyle is limiting in nature. But a visit to any vegan cooking website such as http://www.vegcooking.com can humble you. Polls show that almost all people eat just 9 types of dishes on a weekly basis in rotation.[30] It's not difficult to learn how to cook any 9 new dishes, let alone vegan dishes. That said, there are hundreds of vegan dishes from any cuisine and country you wish. Most people just drink cow's milk. As a vegan, you tend to drink coconut, rice, hemp, wheat, peanut, soy and almond milk – one type of milk every day of the week! A vegan lifestyle sensitizes your palette and you tend to savor more tastes and even plain rice tastes good after a while. So you rediscover what you have been eating all along in a new light. Once you explore your vegan options, it can actually be a bit overwhelming in a good way.

If you are astute, you can always find a vegan substitute everywhere. For example, there are vegan societies in almost all major cities in the world. In Bangalore, there is a restaurant called Our Native Village that has gone vegan! Also, there are bakeries like Carnival that bakes vegan cakes and pastries. You can eat vegan pizza at Little Italy and mock-meat is available in some hypermarts. Cafe coffee day has a vegan shake now. There are a slew of vegan items to choose from - from toothpastes to soaps and cosmetics. Vicco even writes "vegan" on its toothpaste. We have a range of leather free shoes from Bata. Many other vendors like JuteCottage, Baggit, GoDesign and Reebok have leather free wallets. Vegan chocolates like Bournville and vegan biscuits from Parle like Hide and Seek chocolate chips and Oreo are available in the market. More and more organic shops are opening doors. You can get a range of vegan tea at Infinitea. There are numerous Ayurvedic soaps available in the market that use vegetables as base. Over the last couple of years the choices have multiplied many folds. Becoming a vegan today is easier than we can imagine.

India is one of the best place for vegans. Much of our cuisines are naturally vegan or can be easily veganised upon request. That said, the most difficult aspect of being a vegan is not leaving animal products, but to live with non-vegans. Most people feel judged in the presence of a vegan even if she does nothing to promote it.[31] This leads to some social inconveniences since for many Indians consuming dairy is like breathing and they cannot imagine its even possible to live without cow's milk.

That said, as veganism is gaining grounds and as more people adopt a vegan lifestyle, its getting easier by the day to be accepted as one.

Studies show that fatty foods such as meat and diary is addictive in nature like cocaine.[32] This is because they stimulate and overwhelm the pleasure centers of the brain and can make you crave them. Any addiction can be difficult to beat for most people. This is the reason why most people are vegan due to animal rights reasons as they altruistically put animals first. This gives them the added motivation to be a vegan. I personally do not know anybody who is a vegan for health reasons – not to say there are none.

But habits can be broken and addictions can be overcome. The only thing that can change our lives is a decision. Once you have made the decision to lead a cruelty-free, environment-friendly and humane diet, the key is not to change in one day and not to shoot for perfection. It's easy to fall in the all-or-nothing psychological ploy – since I cannot be perfect, so let me be completely imperfect. First you should cut out meat from the meal and then give your body some time to realize its not getting it anymore. Burn the bridge. Once the body has accepted this, it'll stop craving. Next, add one diary free day to your life per week. Understand that one mistake or occasional indulgences in diary does not do a diet ruin. Once you have 5 diary free days under your belt, then you will find it easy to make the complete transition. Veganism is not about perfection, it's about progress. Take your time and let the cravings die naturally. After you are vegan for 3 months, you will “forget” what meat and diary tastes like.[35] This is because taste has to be continually reinforced to be remembered. If you fail in your first attempt, do not feel guilty or defeated. After a week, try again. Try as many times as it takes to become a vegan. Take support from your local vegan chapter or from the internet. Also, experiment with new dishes at home. [30]

Of course, people who go vegan for Animals drop animal products in virtually one day.

Most people do not become vegan for selfish reasons. The do so because they do not want to support cruelty towards non-human animals. The health and environmental concerns are an aside. Studies show us that people who adopt a vegan diet for altruistic and compassionate reason have a brain map of an empathic person. [33] Such people are also more upbeat and energetic according to some other studies.[34]

Apart from an emotional and spiritual upliftment, its an enlightening experience to see religion, politics, economics and the world in general through the paradigm of veganism.

It can be strange to see how people profess their dedication to reverse climate change and yet continue to eat meat and consume diary. It can be very fascinating to see doctors recommending diary and meat to diabetic, cancer and heart patients. It can be surprising to see human rights activist eat meat and support human rights violation. It touches and changes each and every facet of your perception.

In the words of Dr. Richard Dawkins, "The feeling that members of one's own species deserve special moral consideration as compared with members of other species is old and deep. Killing people outside war is the most seriously-regarded crime ordinarily committed. The only thing more strongly forbidden by our culture is eating people (even if they are already dead). We enjoy eating members of other species, however. Many of us shrink from judicial execution of even the most horrible human criminals, while we cheerfully countenance the shooting without trial of fairly mild animal pests. Indeed we kill members of other harmless species as a means of recreation and amusement. A human foetus, with no more human feeling than an amoeba, enjoys a reverence and legal protection far in excess of those granted to an adult chimpanzee. Yet the chimp feels and thinks and, according to recent experimental evidence, may even be capable of learning a form of human language. The foetus belongs to our own species, and is instantly accorded special privileges and rights because of it. Whether the ethic of 'speciesism', can be put on a logical footing any more sound than that of 'racism', I do not know. What I do know is that it has no proper basis in evolutionary biology."

Sexism, racism, "speciesism"...are all prejudices in different cloaks. There is a sense of completion, satisfaction and achievement in living your values free of prejudices. Like they say, you don't know what feeling healthy truly means unless you are really healthy. The same holds true for veganism too. It's many things rolled into one. It can be a political statement, a lifestyle or a spiritual pursuit or maybe all of them. But most importantly, it's liberating. After all, might is right is a morally bankrupt idea.

My name is Manuj Chandra Sharma. I am an Animal Rights Activist and the co-founder of an organization called Kranti (www.kranti.org) .

[1] http://www.kranti.org/knowledge-base/media/lectures-and-presentations/item/267-flu-factories-tracing-the-origins-of-the-swine-flu-epidemic.html

[2] http://www.kranti.org/knowledge-base/library/fact-files/environmentalism/73-livestock-and-climate-change-world-watch.html

[3] http://www.kranti.org/knowledge-base/articles/research-papers/item/275-meat-contributes-to-ozone-production.html

[4] http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/freshwater/embedded-water/

[5] http://www.kranti.org/knowledge-base/media/documentaries/item/245-diet-for-a-new-america.html

[6] http://www.greenpeace.org/international/en/multimedia/videos/Genetic-engineering-The-worlds-greatest-scam/

[7] http://www.kranti.org/damage/environment.html

[8] http://www.amazon.com/Food-Revolution-Your-Diet-World/dp/1573247022/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1277177039&sr=8-2

[9] http://www.worldwatch.org/node/791

[10] http://endoftheline.com

[11] http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2006/11/061102-seafood-threat.html

[12] http://www.kranti.org/knowledge-base/media/lectures-and-presentations/item/268-pandemic-prevention-bird-flu-and-other-emerging-infectious-diseases.html

[13] http://www.kranti.org/knowledge-base/media/lectures-and-presentations/item/270-latest-in-clinical-nutrition-volume-1.html

[14] http://www.kranti.org/knowledge-base/media/lectures-and-presentations/item/271-latest-in-clinical-nutrition-volume-2.html

[15] http://www.kranti.org/knowledge-base/media/lectures-and-presentations/item/279-latest-in-clinical-nutrition-volume-3.html

[16] http://webarchive.human.cornell.edu/chinaproject/index.html?CFID=109192707&CFTOKEN=22455666&jsessionid=c430570497735e256119

[17] http://www.kranti.org/knowledge-base/articles/research-papers/item/142-advantages-of-a-vegetarian-diet.html

[18] http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=5041951&l=88ae3b3790&id=670975394

[19] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vegan_athletes#Athletes

[20] http://www.amazon.com/Turn-Off-Fat-Genes-Revolutionary/dp/0609809040/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1277177883&sr=8-1

[21] http://www.cancerproject.org/survival/cancer_facts/prostate_dairy.php

[22] http://www.pcrm.org/health/clinres/diabetes.html

[23] http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8869369

[24] http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1312295/

[25] http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2220599

[26] http://www.amazon.com/China-Study-Comprehensive-Nutrition-Implications/dp/1932100660/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1277178391&sr=8-1

[27] http://www.journeytoforever.org/farm_library/price/price5.html

[28] http://www.kranti.org/knowledge-base/articles/research-papers/item/151-60-of-adults-can%5C%27t-digest-milk.html

[29] http://www.kranti.org/knowledge-base/library/fact-files/brochures/88-official-kranti-brochure.html

[30] http://www.kranti.org/knowledge-base/library/books/vegetarianism/78-vegetarian-starter-kit.html

[31] http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article7052580.ece

[32] http://edition.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/03/28/fatty.foods.brain/

[33] http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0010847

[34] http://www.kranti.org/knowledge-base/articles/health-and-nutrition/item/293-vegetarians-are-more-upbeat-study.html

[35] http://www.kranti.org/knowledge-base/articles/research-papers/item/153-meat-eaters-live-a-lie.html

[36] http://www.kranti.org/knowledge-base/library/fact-files/vegetarianism/52-health-concerns-about-dairy-products.html

This video is provided free online by The Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason and Science.

Oxford professor Richard Dawkins presents a series of lectures on life, the universe, and our place in it. With brilliance and clarity, Dawkins unravels an educational gem that will mesmerize young and old alike. Illuminating demonstrations, wildlife, virtual reality, and special guests (including Douglas Adams) all combine to make this collection a timeless classic.

The Royal Institution Christmas Lectures for Children were founded by Michael Faraday in 1825, with himself as the inaugural lecturer. The 1991 lecturer was Richard Dawkins whose five one-hour lectures, originally televised by the BBC, are now available for the first, courtesy of RDF.

Professor Francione gave the keynote address at a conference on Animals and the Law held on April 7, 2006 at Duke University School of Law in North Carolina. He focused on how recent welfare reform had failed to shift away from the property paradigm in any significant way.

1. When was Kranti set up? What was the idea behind setting up this organization, which hails itself as a revolutionary group? What work do you do?

The reason why we naively regard humans as a superior species is because we believe humans have faculties that other animals don't. Recent breakthrough in science has led us to believe that a paradigm shift is in order.[1] Today, thanks to science we know that birds and cows can detect magnetic north[2], fish feel pain like humans[3] and that many animals, especially the ones raised for food, fiber and entertainment have faculties humans lost or never attained. It has been shown that Pigs can play video games, can trick a computer system to give them more food[4], can regulate air-conditioning based upon their comfort level and can outsmart dogs in IQ tests. Similarly, fishes and hens can navigate complex mazes and can outsmart human children in problem solving[5]. Sometimes, these non-human animals display an almost supernatural abilities. Since we now believe that all humans including blacks and women have rights, its time to identify the rights of non-human animals and extend it to them. For this purpose, Kranti was floated 9 months ago by a group of like-minded individuals. Everyone associated with Kranti strongly believes in equality for all species and we attempt to dispel speciesism which is an attitude of prejudice towards non-human animals. When they are capable of suffering as much as we do, why should they not have rights?

We have a multifaceted agenda. Our mission statement is provided below:

http://www.kranti.org/about/mission.html

Kranti's main focus is to research speciesism and educate people about Animal Rights but we also educate people about the environment[6], health[7] and human rights[8] violations by the livestock industry as an aside. We educate people that equality for all species does not mean that we should give a chicken the right to vote. It means that we should recognize the fact that a chicken has the same intelligence as that of a one year old human child[9] and just like we do not allow children to vote we should not extend it to chickens as well. It also means that we should provide all the rights given to a human child to a chicken.

We believe in promoting the science behind equality even if its inconvenient to many. The treatment rendered to highly sensitive and intelligent beings such as cows and hens in the slaughterhouses will land people in jail in some places if extended to dogs or cats[24]. Yet, scientifically, these animals suffer pain just as much. To come to a realization that man is in no way special than other animals exploited for milk, meat, fashion or entertainment, like Darwin wrote in the Descent of Man, requires a paradigm shift no less than that of a spherical earth. It requires a revolution of human consciousness, hence the name Kranti.

In this respect, we hold public protests and other events in colleges to champion the cause of total abolition of animal abuse. You can access some recent event pictures below:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=212989&id=670975394&l=1f3bc441ab

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=200801&id=670975394&l=2aa1459aa0

2. How does Kranti promote a vegan lifestyle among Indians? When did the group begin work on promoting veganism in India? Was this one of your core agenda?

Ironically, when we started Kranti, our aim was not to convert people to a cruelty-free lifestyle, but to provide support to the already existing vegetarians in India who just account for 20% of the population and are taking up meat-eating due to peer-pressure and corporate propaganda.[10][11] But thankfully, many people are responding to logic[12] and making the right lifestyle choices. Kranti furthers its agenda through public demonstration and the internet. We also conduct seminars in colleges to educate the youth, who at this age are looking for an identity and a philosophy to adhere to. The group has been promoting the message of equality as individuals even before the incorporation of Kranti . Veganism is always at the core of all our activities.

3. How many members does the group have? What is the general profile of your members? How many new members join you every year?

We have 5 core members, all vegans, who plan the strategies plus one moderator. On our facebook group, we have 44 volunteers plus some more in real world that we can call upon. Our website has received more than 30,000 hits from all over India and the world in the last 9 months and the response is phenomenal. Our supporters are very slowly but gradually increasing.

Our members come from all walks of life, from housewives to programmers and doctors. All of the vegans I personally know have chosen a cruelty-free lifestyle because of non-human animal rights reasons.

4. How many Vegans are part of Kranti’s member group? Has there numbers grown in the last five years? If yes, by how much?

All 5 core members of Kranti and all of our volunteers are vegans.

India produces 3 times more milk than China, even though the population is almost identical. This leads to the slaughtering of cows since the cows who cannot produce (more) milk end up in someone's plate, waist or shoe.[13] So, consumption of seemingly innocent products such as milk and honey[14] cannot be termed ethical. Therefore, it's mandatory for all members of Kranti to be vegan.

In the past, we have definitely seen an uprise of vegans in India.

5. Do you have figures on roughly how many Vegans there are in India today? Have the numbers increased in the last five years? If yes, by how much?

There are many people in India who are unknowingly following a near-vegan lifestyle, since they already do not consume meat and leather and cannot digest milk (60% of adults cannot digest milk from other species since its not meant for human consumption)[15]. This coupled with the fact that we don't legally recognize veganism as a food choice in India like we do with vegetarianism, its hard to get any concrete figures. We know around 300 vegans through social networking and I have been told that according to PeTA estimates there are approximately 20,000 vegans in India. Whatever the actual figures are, I believe its optimistic.

6. Why do you think that an increasing number of urban Indians are adopting a vegan lifestyle? Is it because Indians are becoming aware of animals rights, are globally-traveled, any other reasons?

The core essence of veganism - reverence for all life - is not something new to India. Its interwoven in the fabric of Indian religions and philosophy. Most people are already lacto-vegetarians. Many people get exposed to veganism through the work done by mainstream organizations like PeTA and Humane Society of the United States in India and around the world. They learn about it through celebrities like Pamela Anderson, Maneka Gandhi, John Abraham and Shaid Kapoor.

Another two channels that introduce people to veganism are climate and health. People are getting educated by the media about the livestock-climate connection and the fact that the livestock industry is one of the topmost contributors to Global Warming[16][17]. Also, studies are pouring in linking milk and meat with heart diseases, diabetes and cancer[18].

Also, more and more people are learning about the human rights violations by the meat industry. 70% of the world grain goes to feed the livestock that is later brutally slaughtered and consumed. This grain can feed billions of starving humans. For eg; It takes 12 Kg of grain and 13,000+ liters of water to produce just 1 Kg of beef.[19] Meat compresses food and water thereby aggravating world hunger. Also, it requires tremendous amount of fossil fuel to refrigerate and transport animal products because they decay very fast.

All the above mentioned factors and them some kindles their curiosity and they do more research online. There they get introduced to the inner workings of the meat and diary industry through undercover investigation videos and documentaries like Earthlings[20]. Since humans are anatomically herbivores[21] and are naturally compassionate to animals they decide not to support this injustice. People start their journey on veganism to support humans, the planet, their health or the animals. But when the dust settles, they all end up supporting life.

7. How easy or difficult is it to be a Vegan in India? Is it easier now to be a Vegan in India today than it was five years ago? If yes, how?

India is one of the best place for vegans. Much of our cuisines are naturally vegan or can be easily veganised upon request. That said, the most difficult aspect of being a vegan is not leaving animal products, but to live with non-vegans. Most people feel judged in the presence of a vegan even if she does nothing to promote it. This leads to some social inconveniences since for many Indians consuming dairy is like breathing and they cannot imagine its even possible to live without cow's milk.

That said, as veganism is gaining grounds and as more people adopt a vegan lifestyle, its getting easier by the day to be accepted as one.

8. What are the vegan options available in India in terms of restaurants, cosmetics etc? Is there an increase in such options being made to Vegans in India? If yes, can you give examples?

If you are astute, you can always find a vegan substitute everywhere. For example, there are vegan societies in almost all major cities in the world. In Bangalore, there is a restaurant called E-Inn Our Native Village [22] that has gone vegan! Also, there are bakeries like Carnival that bakes vegan cakes and pastries. You can eat vegan pizza at Little Italy and mock-meat is available in some hypermarts. Cafe coffee day has a vegan shake now. There are a slew of vegan items to choose from - from toothpastes to soaps and cosmetics. Vicco even writes "vegan" on its toothpaste. We have a range of leather free shoes from Bata. Many other vendors like Baggit, GoDesign and Reebok have leather free wallets. Vegan chocolates like Bournville and vegan biscuits from Parle like Hide and Seek chocolate chips and Oreo are available in the market. More and more organic shops are opening doors. You can get a range of vegan tea at Infinitea. There are numerous Ayurvedic soaps available in the market that use vegetables as base. Over the last couple of years the choices have multiplied many folds. Becoming a vegan today is easier than we can imagine.

Let me know if you need any further clarification. It would be great if you can mail the final article to any one of us for technical accuracy.

Regards,
Manuj Chandra.

References:
[1] http://www.amazon.com/Second-Nature-Inner-Animals-MacSci/dp/0230613624/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1271928708&sr=8-1
[2] http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/2623809/Cows-point-north-thanks-to-in-built-compasses.html
[3] http://www.upi.com/Science_News/2009/04/29/UPI-NewsTrack-Health-and-Science-News/UPI-83361241041440/
[4] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ImZmDYme_s
[5] http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16796139/
[6] http://www.kranti.org/damage/environment.html
[7] http://www.kranti.org/damage/health.html
[8] http://www.kranti.org/damage/humanity.html
[9] http://www.fowlplaymovie.com/display_video.php?id=4
[10] http://www.kranti.org/connect/forum/9-revolutionary-support/379-should-we-have-a-target-audience-or-go-secular.html#379
[11] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZjFH6yZ8LIA
[12] http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/6180753.stm
[13] http://www.kranti.org/whats-wrong-with/milk.html
[14] http://www.kranti.org/whats-wrong-with/honey.html
[15] http://www.kranti.org/knowledge-base/articles/research-papers/item/151-60-of-adults-can%5C%27t-digest-milk.html
[16] http://www.kranti.org/knowledge-base/library/fact-files/environmentalism/73-livestock-and-climate-change-world-watch.html
[17] http://www.kranti.org/knowledge-base/library/fact-files/environmentalism/53-copenhagen-climate-conference-2009.html
[18] http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/8629358.stm
[19] http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/freshwater/embedded-water/
[20] http://www.kranti.org/knowledge-base/media/documentaries/item/149-earthlings.html
[21] http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1312295/
[22] http://www.ournativevillage.com/contact_us.htm
[23] http://vegan-india.blogspot.com/2010/04/e-inn-luxury-star-bangalore.html
[24] http://blog.peta.org/archives/2010/02/peta_agrees_wit.php

Before I was an Animal Rights advocate, I use to believe that Animal Rights and Animal Welfare are synonymous with one another. As I have learned from experience and have come to believe, they are very much different. But this difference is so sublime that it often deceives even the veterans in the field. Jan L.A. van de Snepscheut once said, "In theory, there is no difference between theory and practice. But, in practice, there is."


Lets take up an analogy to understand the differences between Animal Rights and Animal Welfare. Casualties are a by-product of war. Whenever there will be a war, someone will get hurt. This is the nature of war and for this very purpose it's waged. So war is a two dimensional concept as far as our analogy is concerned. On one hand we have the war itself, and on the other hand we have by-products of war - casualties.

The same can be said about using non-human Animals and Animal Welfare. Using non-human Animals is an IDEA (or an attitude of apathy) that wages an unfair war on billions of helpless non-human animals every year in one form or another. This generates casualties that needs to be addressed.

During the World War Two, 17 attempts were made to assassinate Hitler in an attempt to bring the war to an end. Also, many organizations were involved in treating the victims of the war. In our analogy the former is an IDEA of bringing the war to an end and the latter is the IDEA of tending the ones affected by the war.

The concept behind Animal Rights is to dismantle the idea of using non-human Animals. One of the ideas behind Animal Welfare is to tend to animals in distress - which is important too.

The Animal Rights movement is at war with the idea of speciesism and the attitude that non-human animals are property and can be exploited for human needs. And this in turn is a two phase process and may not necessarily be non-violent. On one hand we have a demand for animal products that is fueled by numerous factors. On the other hand we have a supply to meet that demand. If the supply is destroyed and the demand still exists, new supplies will emerge - legal or illegal - to meet the demand. A more effective way, which is also the more difficult one, is to dismantle the demand; which is easier said than done. With no demand, supply will perish. For example, most places do not sell fragrance (Dog Meat) because the demand does not exist. When the demand will exist, supply will materialize.

The term speciesism relates to a moral superiority that puts human interests above some or all nonhuman animals or the assigning of a hierarchy to animals in relation to their value.

Speciesism is an ideology-a belief system-that legitimates and inspires animal oppression by fusing moral significance with

(a) membership in the human species and
(b) human cognition.

Speciesism is used to exclude non-humans from the moral community because they do not belong to the species Homo sapiens and because (most of them) do not possess our peculiar form of cognition. This ideology thus creates a hierarchy of moral worth, with human animals at the apex, followed by all other animals, who are measured in terms of their cognitive nearness to or distance from humans.

Prior to our understanding of the physiological similarities and common evolutionary origins between species, the devaluing of animal interests could easily be supported by reference to common sense about superficial differences (such as inability to “speak” to humans), to religious texts, or to intellectual ideas made popular for their usefulness (such as those of Descartes, who saw animals as machines that did not feel pain).

Today there exists a pervasive cultural socialisation that ensures that many take our oppressive relationship to other species as “natural”. It is this, combined with vested corporate and state interests, that maintains exploitation on an unimaginable scale.

These barriers to equality remain to the detriment of all life on Earth. For the abuse of power through hierarchical order manifests in many interacting problems. Just as unequal power relations between nations, genders, races, ethnicities, classes, and sexualities have resulted in the historical oppression of certain groups, so unequal power relations (as a result of different evolutionary adaptations) have resulted in the historical oppression of all other species by one.

Whenever you see a bird in a cage, fish in a tank, or nonhuman mammal on a chain, you're seeing speciesism. If you believe that a bee or frog has less right to life and liberty than a chimpanzee or human, or you consider humans superior to other animals, you subscribe to speciesism. If you visit aquaprisons and zoos, attend circuses that include "animal acts," wear nonhuman skin or hair, or eat flesh, eggs, or cow-milk products, you practice speciesism. If you campaign for more-"humane" slaughter of chickens or less-cruel confinement of pigs, you perpetuate speciesism. - Speciesism by Joan Dunayer

They say its very difficult to defeat an opponent who has an outpost in your head. The battle of Animal Rights will be fought between the ears.

Many people, when they examine their beliefs about animals will find, I think, that they hold radically contradictory views, allowing for benevolence one moment and disregard the next. And the reality is that we have a choice of one or the other. As a practical matter we are free, of course, to do more or less what we please absent further changes in the law. As a matter of conscience, however, we must each ask ourselves which outlook is truer, which is closer to our heart, which attitude leaves us feeling better and worthier when we act upon it, and then follow that conviction where it leads. And when we fail to act consistently with our own moral principles, when we profess one thing and do another, we must be willing to call that error by its name. It is hypocrisy. - Matthew Scully

The practice of Animal Welfare can be sub-divided into 6 categories

• Improving the lives of animals used for food, fiber, entertainment or service
• Conservationists
• Sanctuary Operators
• Animal (dog/cat) lovers
• Public service
• Hobbyists

Improving the lives of animals used for food, fiber, entertainment or service

This category of Animal Welfare activists are mostly Animal Rights activists who are trying to ensure that some basic needs of non-human Animals are met. Cows are often branded with third degree burns, their tails are "docked" - blood supply restricted till the tail dies, hens and turkeys are routinely kicked, raped and beaten. Non-human Animals are not allowed to move for more than two inches for their entire lives; hens are forced to live their entire lives on the size of an A4 paper and so on. These activists fight for some basic common-sense treatment of the animals. Animals are treated worse than vegetables in the factory farms. These welfare activists are mostly vegans and try to ensure that some basic decency is observed. People who fight for non-human Animals like horses, donkeys and oxes etc. who provide some service to man also come under this category.

A subset of this category are slaughterhouse veterinarian. Their job is to ensure that the animals raised for meat and profit are meaty and profitable at the time of slaughtering. These people also identify themselves with Animal Welfare. They are almost always meat-eaters.

Conservationists

These Animal Welfare activists are involved in the preservation of one or more than one species, for example - elephants, whales, sharks, tigers etc. Usually, they do so out of selfish motives such as protection of the ecosystem so they or their species (humans) can comfortably live in it. Sometimes they do some really heart-wrenching work that must be commended.

They usually don't care about individual animals. They are more concerned about a species getting wiped out from the face of the earth.

The problem occurs when these people contribute to the abuse of other animals like hens and cows and help condemn them to a life worse than hell by being non-vegan. On top of that they accuse Animal Rights activists for being idealists and "lazy" for not getting their hands dirty.

Sanctuary Operators

Sanctuaries are places where non-human animals are given a safe haven. These animals are usually rescued from the government, science labs or slaughterhouses. People who run such sanctuaries are usually Animal Rights activists and are Vegans.

Animal (dog/cat) lovers

Now let's try to understand this type of Animal Welfare by using an analogy too. Suppose you were to find an injured human on the road, where will you take him? To the court or to the hospital? Animal Rights is about advocacy and action.

Suppose you were deeply and genuinely concerned about the welfare and rights of Whites and do not believe that colored people like blacks are humans. This does not make you a humanitarian. There was a time when even biologists and doctors had black slaves. They say the opposite of love is not hatred, its apathy. Similarly, just because you care about a few species it does not make you an Animal lover. Scientifically, hens and bees are animals too and are capable of suffering. You can be sincere, and you can be sincerely wrong. Organizations who work for specific animals should not call themselves "Animal Welfare Organizations". They should call themselves "Dog Welfare Organization" or whatever animals they are dealing with.

Mostly, these people are meat-eaters and only care about Dogs and/or Cats. By being vegan they can save hundreds of animals every year.

Public service

Certain non-human Animals are perceived as public nuisance like stray dogs. The governments usually take the cheapest and easiest way out to get rid of the problem - electrocution or battering.

These Animal Welfare activists work to control the population of these animals by neutering them (and sometimes making a good fortune in the process too, which is all right since this is just a business).

Also, I believe that an organization should not mix Animal Rights and Animal Welfare as a matter of strategy. Just like a lawyer does not conduct the business of a Doctor, an Animal Rights organization should not do the work for this kind of Animal Welfare. This is because all organizations are prone to making mistakes and if you accidentally kill a non-human Animals or euthanize un-adoptable dogs so the government does not brutally electrocutes them then you are open to criticism from meat-eating dog-lovers. This hurts the movement in the long run.

There are many individuals who are sympathetic towards certain species of animals such as the carnivorous ones - Dogs and Cats. This is because mostly they are adorable and humans are naturally attracted towards them. These individuals may also use and eat other animals such as sheep and goats that they are apathetic towards. They may also consume milk and leather. All this is done under the banner of Animal Welfare which is highly deceiving.

Apart from that, the so-called Animal Welfare Organizations must ask themselves, how can serving a particular species bring an end to the demand of animal products? Technically, you cannot have Welfare without Rights. If a human is denied basic welfare, then his rights are automatically violated. The war will go on and the casualties will keep occurring.

Hobbyists

Add to this fan-boys and hobbyists. People who enjoy capturing and/or otherwise "using" a non-human Animal for personal entertainment or utility may also call themselves Animal Welfare Organizations too that further confuses and complicates the equation.

They like to collect and trap non-human Animals such as birds and insects for their sensory pleasure. Some breeders in India also call themselves Animal Welfare organizations.


Another important point to grasp is that Animal Rights does not automatically leads to Animal Welfare. Animals like humans should have the right to live their lives naturally. This involves risking welfare. For eg. Animal Welfare is often employed as a tool by hobbyists such as horse-lovers to violate Animal Rights. They love to ride a horse for no apparent reason at all and in the process confines, isolates and tortures a horse by inserting painful apparatus up their noses or mouths. They often say, "They are safe with us and live longer. In the jungle they would have died by now". Well, that's "rights". I can die crossing a road. But I want to take that risk. I don't want to be a slave and live to be a hundred. I would rather have my freedom and die at 50.

To consume meat and dairy products and pretend to be an environmentalist, rationalist or a humanist is like driving with one foot on the accelerator and another foot on the brakes. - Manuj Chandra, co-founder, Kranti

To conclude, Animal Rights is a very well defined ideology whereas the definition of Animal Welfare is nebulous and can mean different things to different people. Theoretically and practically Animal Rights and Animal Welfare are poles apart and they require two very different kind of mindsets. Animal Rights is about applied practice and advocacy to dismantle the demand for animal products and services whereas Animal Welfare may be about conservation of a few animals or the pursuit of a hobby for some reason or another etc.

There is nothing wrong in being either an Animal Rights or Welfare Activist as long as you are a Vegan and do not enslave or use non-human Animals that leads to their suffering. Being a non-vegan Animal Welfare, environmental or human rights activist is like trying to mop the floor while its raining.

Also, the above analysis is not meant to generalize any area or work or individuals. Its merely a personal attempt of an individual to understand and catalog the differences. There are and will always be gray areas.

Dean Ornish talks about simple, low-tech and low-cost ways to take advantage of the body's natural desire to heal itself.

The Emotional World of  Farm Animals is a delightful  documentary  for viewers of all ages about the thinking and feeling side of animals that  are all too  often just viewed as food.

If you had asked me last week to name my favorite Richard Gere moment, I would have taken a long pause before finally deciding on that scene in the 1980s movie American Gigolo when he shimmied in his boxers as he paired his ties to shirts. What can I say? I've always appreciated a man who cares about his appearance.

Some years ago, after visiting a zoo and realizing the relationship between food and fauna, the then eight year old Lisa Simpson , sister of Bart Simpson , turned vegetarian. Paul McCartney, himself a confirmed veggie, appeared on that episode , and even wrote original music for the immensely popular cartoon programme. Lisa’s conversion reflects a trend among young people in the West. A survey done by Teenage Research Unlimited found that a whopping 35% of girls and 18% of boys felt that being a vegetarian was the in thing. The 18 year old founder of Earth 2000, a teenage forum, told Newsweek that the "defining focus" of his generation will be "no animal cruelty, no meat”. In the past fifty years millions of meat-eaters have made the personal decision to stop eating the flesh of other creatures. There are five major motivations for such a decision.

1) The RELIGIOUS reason
Every religion from Hinduism and Buddhism to Islam and Christianity teaches compassion to all living beings. Animals were created for the same reason as humans, to live. Not to be killed and eaten. It ill becomes us to invoke in our daily prayers the blessings of a compassionate God if we in turn will not practise elementary compassion towards our fellow creatures.

2) The KARMIC reason
All of our actions including our choice of food have karmic consequences. According to the law of karma, if we cause pain and suffering to other living beings, we must endure pain and suffering in return, both individually and collectively. We reap what we sow, in this life and the next, for nature has her own justice. By involving oneself in the cycle of inflicting injury, pain and death by eating other creatures, one will in the future, experience their suffering in equal measure.

3) The SPIRITUAL reason
Food is the source of the body's chemistry, and what we ingest affects our consciousness, emotions and experiential patterns. If one wants to live in higher consciousness, in peace and happiness and love, then one cannot eat meat, fish, fowl or eggs. The methods used in large modern farms to raise and kill animals causes them immense pain and terror. They are given hormones and antibiotics which biochemists have confirmed end up in and influence the body of those who consume meat. In a very real way, we are ingesting the powerful chemical components of fear, and rage. Absorbing these contributes to a violent mentality perpetuating the cycle of cruelty and confusion. If children are raised as vegetarians, every day they are exposed to noninjury as a principle of peace and compassion. Every day they are growing up, they are remembering and being reminded to not kill. When you won't kill another creature to feed yourself, you will be much less likely to injure anybody at all.

4) The HEALTH reason
Medical studies prove that a vegetarian diet is easier to digest, provides a wider range of nutrients and imposes fewer burdens and impurities on the body. Meat eating women have a 3.6 times higher risk of breast cancer while meat eating men have a 3.8 times higher risk of prostrate cancer. Vegetarians are less susceptible to all the major diseases that afflict contemporary humanity, and live longer, healthier, more productive lives. They have fewer physical complaints, less frequent visits to the doctor, fewer dental problems and smaller medical bills. Their immune system is stronger, their bodies are purer, more refined and their skin more beautiful.

5) The ECOLOGICAL reason
Planet earth is suffering. In large measure, the escalating loss of species, destruction of rain forests , loss of topsoil and the increase in water and air pollution have all been traced to the single fact of meat in the human diet. Meat is the single greatest reason for deforestation worldwide with 55sq ft of tropical rain forest consumed to produce every quarter-pounder hamburger. A major contributor to global warming is methane produced by animals multiplied for meat. With over 6 billion people grazing the earth today, the future of life on earth rests on our choice of food. No single decision that we can make as individuals or as a race can have such a dramatic effect on the improvement of our planetary ecology as the decision to cut out meat. Many seeking to save the planet for future generations have made this decision for this reason and this reason alone. The earth does not belong to man, man belongs to the earth. Whatever happens to the earth will happen to the sons of the earth. This we know. All things are connected like the blood that unites one family.

It's arrogant to think we're the only animals who mourn.

There is no doubt that many animals experience rich and deep emotions. It's not a matter of if emotions have evolved in animals but why they have evolved as they have. We must never forget that our emotions are the gifts of our ancestors, our animal kin. We have feelings and so do other animals.

Washington, DC Metro Station on a cold January morning in 2007. The man with a violin played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. During that time approximately two thousand people went through the station, most of them on their way to work. After three minutes a middle aged man noticed there was a musician playing. He slowed his pace and stopped for a few seconds and then hurried to meet his schedule.

4 minutes later
The violinist received his first dollar: a woman threw the money in the hat and, without stopping, continued to walk.

6 minutes
A young man leaned against the wall to listen to him, then looked at his watch and started to walk again.

10 minutes
A 3-year old boy stopped but his mother tugged him along hurriedly. The kid stopped to look at the violinist again, but the mother pushed hard and the child continued to walk, turning his head all the time. This action was repeated by several other children. Every parent, without exception, forced their children to move on quickly.

45 minutes
The musician played continuously. Only six people stopped and listened for a short while. About 20 gave money but continued to walk at their normal pace. The man collected a total of $32.00

1 hour
He finished playing and silence took over. No one noticed. No one applauded, nor was there any recognition.

No one knew this, but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the greatest musicians in the world. He played one of the most intricate pieces ever written, with a violin worth $3.5 million dollars. Two days before Joshua Bell sold out a theater in Boston where the seats averaged $100.00.

This is a true story. Joshua Bell playing incognito in the Metro Station was organized by the Washington Post as part of a social experiment about perception, taste and people's priorities. The questions raised: in a common place environment at an inappropriate hour, do we perceive beauty? Do we stop to appreciate it? Do we recognize talent in an unexpected context?

One possible conclusion reached from this experiment could be this: If we do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians in the world, playing some of the finest music ever written, with one of the most beautiful instruments ever made...How many other things are we missing?

Discuss Here