In India, veganism is spawning a robust plant-based industry

Companies selling plant-based products are innovating and making available foods that are not part of any traditional Indian palette

Altab Hossain is an interior designer turned animal rights activist from Kolkata who embraced veganism in 2014 when he learnt about “the horrors of the dairy industry”. He says, “I have sacrificed animals for Eid in the past but once I learnt that this is unnecessary, I gave it up.” His family found it difficult to accept this choice, so they took him to a psychiatrist.

Despite the stiff opposition, he has continued to be vegan. For him, it is an ethical commitment rather than a hipster lifestyle. He says, “Animal rights is a social issue, just like women’s rights