Former CJI Justice Chandrachud is Peta India’s most influential vegan

PUDUCHERRY: People for Ethical Treatment of Animals (Peta), India has named retired Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud as Peta India’s 2024 most influential vegan for being publicly vocal about how his daughters inspired him to eat and live vegan (including by being leather-free).

A release from Peta India to mark World Vegan Month (November) on Monday said Justice Chandrachud, his wife and their daughters starred in a new video for Peta India in which they shared the story behind their compassionate lifestyle and how vegan living is aligned with Indian ethos and the importance of living kind.

“What we eat, what we wear, how we think, how we deal with other individuals should be in a way which is consistent with the right to everyone's dignity, whether it's a human being, an animal or a bird. Our Constitution, for instance, says in Article 51A(g), which lays down the fundamental duties of every citizen, to have compassion for every living creature,” said theformer CJI in the video.

His wife Kalpana Das, a dedicated advocate for animal rights, added, “Very often, people don’t realise that animals do have the same feelings. They have pain, they have joy, jealousy, yes, they do have! They strategize.”

“While former CJI Chandrachud is Peta India’s 2024 most influential vegan, the honour goes out to his entire family, and especially his daughters Priyanka and Mahi, youth role models, whose kindness is inspiring children and adults alike to make compassionate choices,” says Peta India’s manager of vegan projects Kiran Ahuja.

“Their family’s commitment to kindness serves as a call to action for others to consider living vegan for animals, their health, and for the sake of our planet,” Ahuja said.

People who opt for vegan reduce the risk of suffering from cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and obesity and dramatically shrink their carbon footprint. According to the United Nations, animal agriculture is responsible for nearly a fifth of human-induced greenhouse gas emissions and a global shift towards eating vegan is necessary to combat the worst effects of the climate catastrophe. Bovine leather is also ranked as the most polluting material in fashion.

Past recipients of Peta India’s most influential vegan award include spiritual leader and humanitarian Brahmarishi Mohanji and Vedanta teacher Acharya Prashant.
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